Hello,
Steve Holden wrote:
Two words: backward compatibility. To lose that method now would break thousands of existing programs. The 2.4 library would probably experience breakage too ... let's see:
$ find /lib/python2.4/ -name "*.py" -exec grep has_key {} \; | wc -l 587
Is there any interest in changing that to the "key in dict" sintax?
The general principles on which maintenance is based for Python decree that such changes not be made gratuitously: the code as it is works now, so it is only worth changing when has_key is removed.
If a module were being edited for other reasons there would be no objection to removal of the has_key usage then, but the chance of breakage due to careless modification is high enough to want to avoid it unless really *necessary*.
regards Steve -- Steve Holden +1 703 861 4237 +1 800 494 3119 Holden Web LLC http://www.holdenweb.com/ Python Web Programming http://pydish.holdenweb.com/ -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
