Re: [Python-markdown-discuss] Markdown package with debug statements

[Yuri T. <qar...@gm...>]

Malthe,

First, there are only two debug messages at the moment in subversion.
But I also disagree with the principle.  Code is never bug free.
People always end up finding new bugs.  Or ask for features.  Or
suggest optimizations.  In fact, the more mature the project is, the
more people use it, and the more bugs they report and the more
suggestions they make.  Which means that every now and then we have to
go an debug the code.  To paraphrase a well-known quotation, "a
software project is never finished, only abandoned."  Python-markdown
has not been abandoned yet, therefore it is not finished.

Some debug messages are very specific to a particular bug.  Once the
bug is fixed, they can be removed.  Except that of course you are
never 100% sure that the change you made fully fixes the bug.  Sure it
passes specific tests, but someone will come up with another test that
will fail.  (Or you will come up with one in the shower the next
morning.)  So, if the bug fix is tentative, it makes sense to leave
the debug statements in, I think.  It does make sense to clean those
up eventually.  Additionally, some debug messages come in handy for
pretty much any debugging session.  In those cases it makes sense to
leave them around for longer.

Tests are not a replacement for debug messages.  A test suit helps you
identify regressions, but it can't help you find what _causes_ them.

>  I think a good use for log statements is when rare or unexpected
>  events happen, or if the user of the package needs some information.

That's why the debug messages are filtered out by default.  You need
to ask for them to see them.  Default logging level is CRITICAL.

 - yuri

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