RE: `partition'

On 15 October 2004 09:55, Josef Svenningsson wrote:

>> No, sorry.  It constitutes a change in library API, which you can't
>> #ifdef your way around because there isn't a CPP symbol which changes
>> with the patchlevel (on purpose).
>> 
> In what sense is it a change in the API? The only thing that is
> needed is to add a tilde to a pattern. This does not change the
> interface of the library. I see no reason to #ifdef around it. But if
> your policy is not to change the semantics of functions between
> patchlevels then I'll guess we'll survive until 6.4.

As you say, it's a change in the semantics of partition.  You might
write code that depends on the lazy behaviour, and such code wouldn't
work with earlier patchlevels.

Yes, the "no change to library APIs" policy is quite restrictive.  It
was introduced as a way to try to provide stability between releases -
we provide bugfixes without breaking your code.  Ideally we'd also like
to push out more frequent major releases too, but releases take time.

Cheers,
        Simon