[Python-Dev] frozendict (was: Possible patch for functools partial...)

[Antoine Pitrou]

On Sun, 16 May 2010 11:55:14 +1000
Yaniv Aknin <yaniv at aknin.name> wrote:
> 
> Is the whole notion of a frozendict
> worthy, given this limitation?

I don't think so. Of course we how have a more general problem:
- if we choose to implement only equality testing for partials and
  leave hashing as is, then hashing isn't consistent with equality
  anymore -- which is unacceptable
- if we choose to implement only equality testing for partials and make
  them unhashable, we are breaking programs which store partials in a
  set or a dict

So we are left with the following choice:
- implement hashing consistently with equality testing, even though the
  keyword arguments can be changed later. I think this is acceptable
  from a practicality standpoint
- abandon the whole idea of improving equality testing

Regards

Antoine.