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Summary
The Python language is built by and for its community. In order to add a new feature, change the specification, or create a new policy the first step is to submit a proposal for consideration. Those proposals are called PEPs, or Python Enhancement Proposals. In this episode we had the great pleasure of speaking with three of the people who act as stewards for this process to learn more about how it got started, how it works, and what impacts it has had.
Brief Introduction
Hello and welcome to Podcast.__init__, the podcast about Python and the people who make it great.
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Searching for Pythonistas with Disabilities
We are recording today on December 7th, 2015 and your hosts as usual are Tobias Macey and Chris Patti
Today we are interviewing some of the PEP editors
Interview with PEP editors
Introductions
How did you get introduced to Python? – Chris
For anyone who isn’t familiar with them, can you explain what a PEP is and how they influence the Python language? – Tobias
What are the requirements for a PEP to be considered for approval and what does the overall process look like to get it finalized? – Tobias
How has the PEP process evolved to meet challenges posed by changes in the Python community? – Chris
How many reviewers are there and how did each of you end up in that role? Is there a set number of editors that must be maintained and if so how did you arrive at that number? – Tobias
What mistakes have other communities made when creating similar processes, and how has PEP learned from those mistakes? – Chris
There are different categories for PEPs. Can you describe what those are and how you arrived at that ontology? – Tobias
Is there any significance to the numbering system used for identifying different PEPs? – Tobias
How does the PEP process maintain its sense of humor (e.g. PEP 20) while being sure to be taken seriously where it really counts? – Chris
Along the lines of humorous PEPs, can you share the story of PEP 401? – Tobias
How does the PEP process strive to prevent an undesirable level of control by any one company or other special interest group? – Chris
How much control does Guido have over the PEP process? Has a PEP ever directly countered Guido’s wishes? How did it turn out? – Chris
What is your favorite PEP and why? – Tobias
Barry: PEP 20
Chris: PEP 479
David: PEP 20
What, in your opinion, has been the most important or far-reaching PEP, whether it was approved or not? – Tobias
David: PEP 20
Chris: PEP 466
Barry: PEP 8
What was the strangest / most extreme PEP proposal you’ve ever seen? – Chris
Chris: PEP 501
Barry: PEP 507
David: PEP 666
Picks
Tobias
Wagtail CMS
Inside Out
Spark Podcast
Hymn for Atheists
Chris
Trumbo
Kivy Crash Course
Jihadology Podcast
Barry
Tox
Nose2
Jessica Jones
The Joy of Science
Chris
The Git Manpage Generator
Daily MTG
David
Tim’s Vermeer
Ready Player One
The Aristocrats
Scientific Songs of Praise
Hollywood Babble On
Keep In Touch
Barry
Blog
Chris
Blog
GitHub
David
Website
Blog
Links
Monty Python – All the Words
Monty Python – On YouTube
PEP 404
PEP 666
Raymond Hettinger PyCon 2015 PEP8 talk
Python Dev Mailing List
Python Ideas Mailing List
Python Bug Mailing List
The intro and outro music is from Requiem for a Fish The Freak Fandango Orchestra / CC BY-SA