But in general I try to prioritize my Python time since I only have so much time. As of right now, here is the prioritzed list:
- Move the tracker over to Roundup. [bumped priority; 2007-04-16] While I won't personally do the transition, I am involved and need to make sure it happens.
- Write PEP on fixing ``if __name__ == '__main__':..`` idiom. [added 2007-04-16] You can't execute a module in a package that uses relative imports thanks to the module's __name__ value being set to '__main__' (can't resolve the package depth for the imports). I want to write a PEP to propose a way to fix this.
- Write PEP on security changes. [added 2007-04-16] I need to try to get my security changes in PEP form and proposed by April 30 to be considered for Py3K.
- Edit PEP 352 to deprecate BaseException.message. Guido thinks this might be a record turn-around of releasing a feature (2.5) and then deprecating it (2.6). Glad I could be a part of it. =) Basically what has happened is making BaseException take only a single argument will break a ton of code and is a pain to get to work right at the C level. So BaseException.args is going to stay and 'message' goes. Need to make the PEP reflect this and make sure python-dev doesn't throw a fit.
- Backport various patches to the 2.5 branch. I got some patches in the trunk that should be backported to 2.5, but the branch is frozen while Anthony cuts 2.5.1 so I have to wait.
- Deprecate/remove BaseException.message. [added 2007-04-09] Since I changed PEP 352 I really should make it be true. =)
- Finish my security work. I need to get the bloody thing done! I am this close to being finished.
- Get key parts of my security work into the core. I want to remove the constructor for 'file' and 'code'. Everything else can easily be done by a user outside of the core code.
- Close all of my open issues. Have a handful that I should just deal with, the key ones being the Py3K ones if Guido does decide to stick to his goal of an alpha in June.
- Deprecate old platforms for 2.6. I want to get rid of AtheOS and Solaris 2.6 (and older). AtheOS is no longer a maintained OS, let alone the Python port. And the Solaris stuff is just plain old.
- Auto-generate PEP 0. The PEP index is maintained by hand. That has led to inconsistencies between what the PEP says and what the index claims. I have started work in the sandbox at creating PEP 0 from a Python script. Stalled on the work at the moment, though.
- Update PEP 302. While doing my import rewrite I discovered a couple of places where key information was just not stated. I need to go in an add the documentation.
- Graph control flow of import semantics. Another side-effect of rewriting import in pure Python was I became intimately familiar with how the whole thing works. I also realized how spread out the documentation is and under-specified it is. =) Because it has complex semantics I have decided to do a control flow graph that explains how import works (details in another blog post as I have already started this).
- Document importlib. The code is done. The bloody thing works (which still continues to amaze me =). But now I need to document it so people can use it. I just don't want to since the thing is highly modular and explaining the interactions is unintuitive without explaining the thought behind the design. And I just don't want to write a doc on how I view import should be considered as that seems a little pretentious. Plus I don't want to have to fight with people who don't like the design. But this needs to get done for a key reason ...
- Get importlib into the stdlib. The reason I have not packaged up importlib and put it up on the Cheeseshop is because I keep planning on getting importlib into the stdlib. But I can't do that until I get step 8 done. But once this one it is done, I get to do my next big project ...
- Make importlib the default (and only) import mechanism for Python. Yes, I want to ditch the C implemenation of import and use my pure Python version instead. I have to solve some bootstrapping issues. Hopefully I can also come up with a way to allow people to specify an alternative importer at startup before any other importing has begun (e.g., specify an NFS-friendly version before starting to import even site.py so as to minimize stat call costs), but this is a bonus thing that can come later.
- Cleanup import semantics. I hope that when people see the control flow graph for import they will be willing to listen to me on how I want to simplify things by making the semantics more explicit (e.g., no more value of None in sys.path_importer_cache meaning that the default import should be used as that would just be another importer on sys.path_hooks). PEP 328 (absolute imports) helps a lot (doing absolute name resolution the classic way is a mess), but that is just one step in the overall process.
