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[Python-Dev] Is adding support for os.PathLike an enhancement or bugfix?

Chris Barker chris.barker at noaa.gov
Mon May 8 15:04:45 EDT 2017 
On Fri, May 5, 2017 at 2:34 PM, Terry Reedy <tjreedy at udel.edu> wrote:

> So it would be really great if any updates to shutils (and other stdlib
>> packages) to support the new protocol be back-ported.
>>
>
> Not if they change the language.


we're not talking about language changes here -- we are talking about
updates to the stdlib.

Eric wrote:

The problem is that when someone writes code a year from now and tests it
> under Python 3.6.2, then a customer of theirs finds it doesn't work in
> 3.6.1. This will happen if 3.6.2 supports Path parameters to functions that
> 3.6.1 does not.
>

This does, of course apply to the stdlib -- not just the language.

We've burned ourselves before with this, most famously with True and False
> in 2.2.1: http://python-history.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-history-of-
> bool-true-and-false.html


I'd argue that adding three built-ins is a much bigger deal than enhancing
a subset of one standard package -- not that the same issues wouldn't arise.

I think it's still worth, but I can certainly see why it might not be.

Too bad we didn't do a bit more testing for completely when it was beta....

-CHB




-- 

Christopher Barker, Ph.D.
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