diff --git a/py/doc/misc.txt b/py/doc/misc.txt index a7471869a..865708445 100644 --- a/py/doc/misc.txt +++ b/py/doc/misc.txt @@ -184,30 +184,29 @@ sources: * :source:`py/compat/` * :source:`py/builtin/` -The py-lib contains some helpers that make writing scripts that work on various -Python versions easier. +The compat and builtin namespaces help to write code using newer python features on older python interpreters. :api:`py.compat` ---------------- -:api:`py.compat` provides fixed versions (currently from Python 2.4.4) of -various newer modules to be able to use them in various Python versions. -Currently these are: +:api:`py.compat` provides fixed versions (currently taken from Python 2.4.4) of +a few selected modules to be able to use them across python versions. Currently these are: * doctest * optparse * subprocess * textwrap -They are used by replacing the normal ``import ...`` by -``from py.compat import ...``. +Note that for example ``import doctest`` and ``from py.compat import doctest`` result +into two different module objects no matter what Python version you are using. +So you should only use exactly one of these to avoid confusion in your program. :api:`py.builtin` ----------------- -:api:`py.builtin` provides various builtins that were added in later Python -versions. If the used Python version used does not provide these builtins, they -are pure-Python reimplementations. These currently are: +:api:`py.builtin` provides builtin functions/types that were added in later Python +versions. If the used Python version used does not provide these builtins the +py lib provides some reimplementations. These currently are: * enumerate * reversed @@ -217,4 +216,3 @@ are pure-Python reimplementations. These currently are: module) :api:`py.builtin.BaseException` is just ``Exception`` before Python 2.5. -