[Python-Dev] API bloat

[Mark Shannon]

At sometime between versions 3.1 and the current version, 3.1.3,
the API  grew considerably.
See
http://docs.python.org/release/3.1/c-api/exceptions.html#exception-handling
and
http://docs.python.org/py3k/c-api/exceptions.html#exception-handling

The Unicode Exception Objects section is new and seemingly redundant:
http://docs.python.org/py3k/c-api/exceptions.html#unicode-exception-objects
Should this be in the public API?

Is there any kind of review system (like PEPs) for modifying the C API?

Are bug-fix updates really the place to modify the API?

Could the API be reverted to the 3.1 version plus any *necessary* 
changes in time for the 3.2 release?

Remember the C API is a promise to support these functions for years to 
come and a burden on other implementations, including future CPythons.

So could the CPython internal APIs be kept out of the public API?
Please.

Cheers,
Mark.