replacing python.el

[Stefan Monnier]

>> Emacs includes python.el, written by Dave Love, about which there is
>> no legal problem.
> Indeed, and I don't understand what other problem there is with it,
> other than maintenance.  Why does it need to be replaced with
> python-mode.el, even if that was properly assigned?

Maintenance is pretty significant problem, actually.  The other problem
is that all the Python coders I know install python-mode.el rather than
use python.el.  I don't know if it's representative, but if that's the
case, then our users would be better served with python-mode.el
included in Emacs.

> The only other worthwhile feature I know of sort-of from python-mode.el
> is related to something called pdbtrack (?).  My commentary explains
> that part of the functionality already exists, and something more
> general than the rest should be a general feature in GUD.  (The
> Python-specifics are already there.)  It's not difficult to restructure
> GUD -- or wasn't when I hacked it originally -- and it's not clean to
> make an add-on, which is why it's not in python.el.  I know there isn't
> interest in abstractions like that, but I didn't want to preempt a
> possible change of opinion.

Yes, that sounds very good.  But someone has to make this change to
gud.el.  Feel free to submit your patches here.


        Stefan