[Python-Dev] bug or a feature?

Thu Jun 12 22:01:28 CEST 2008

On Thu, Jun 12, 2008 at 9:46 PM, Guido van Rossum <guido at python.org> wrote:
> The intention was for these dicts to be used as namespaces. I think of
> it as follows:
>> (a) Using non-string keys is a no-no, but the implementation isn't
> required to go out of its way to forbid it.

That will allow easier and more efficient implementation, good!
> (b) Using non-empty string keys that aren't well-formed identifiers
> should be allowed.

ok.
Is it allowed to "normalize" subclasses of strings to regular string,
e.g. after:
 class mystring(str): pass
 class C: pass
 x = C()
 setattr(x, mystring('foo'), 42)
is it allowed that the dict of x contains a regular string 'foo'
instead of the mystring instance?
- Willem