Guido grants a Christmas wish:

sorted() becomes a regular function instead of a classmethod.

Doc/lib/libfuncs.tex

@@ -886,6 +886,15 @@ class C(object):
   \samp{a[start:stop, i]}.
 \end{funcdesc}
 
+\begin{funcdesc}{sorted(\var{iterable}\optional{, \var{cmp}=None
+                                      \optional{, \var{key}=None
+                                      \optional{, \var{reverse}=False}}})}
+  Return a new sorted list from the items in \var{iterable}.
+  The optional arguments \var{cmp}, \var{key}, and \var{reverse}
+  have the same meaning as those for the \method{list.sort()} method.
+  \versionadded{2.4}    
+\end{funcdesc}
+
 \begin{funcdesc}{staticmethod}{function}
   Return a static method for \var{function}.
 

Doc/lib/libitertools.tex

@@ -398,7 +398,7 @@ Samuele
 # Show a dictionary sorted and grouped by value
 >>> from operator import itemgetter
 >>> d = dict(a=1, b=2, c=1, d=2, e=1, f=2, g=3)
->>> di = list.sorted(d.iteritems(), key=itemgetter(1))
+>>> di = sorted(d.iteritems(), key=itemgetter(1))
 >>> for k, g in groupby(di, key=itemgetter(1)):
 ...     print k, map(itemgetter(0), g)
 ...

Doc/lib/libstdtypes.tex

@@ -988,9 +988,6 @@ The following operations are defined on mutable sequence types (where
   \lineiii{\var{s}.sort(\optional{\var{cmp}=None\optional{, \var{key}=None
                         \optional{, \var{reverse}=False}}})}
 	{sort the items of \var{s} in place}{(7), (8), (9), (10)}
-  \lineiii{\var{s}.sorted(\var{iterable}\optional{, \var{cmp}=None\optional{, \var{key}=None
-                        \optional{, \var{reverse}=False}}})}
-	{return a new sorted list from the items in \var{iterable}}{(8), (9), (11)}     
 \end{tableiii}
 \indexiv{operations on}{mutable}{sequence}{types}
 \indexiii{operations on}{sequence}{types}
@@ -1040,8 +1037,8 @@ Notes:
   list.  To remind you that they operate by side effect, they don't return
   the sorted or reversed list.
 
-\item[(8)] The \method{sort()} and \method{sorted()} methods take optional
-  arguments for controlling the comparisons.
+\item[(8)] The \method{sort()} method takes optional arguments for
+  controlling the comparisions.
 
   \var{cmp} specifies a custom comparison function of two arguments
      (list items) which should return a negative, zero or positive number
@@ -1068,8 +1065,7 @@ Notes:
   \versionchanged[Support for \var{key} and \var{reverse} was added]{2.4}
 
 \item[(9)]  Starting with Python 2.3, the \method{sort()} method is
-  guaranteed to be stable.  Starting with Python 2.4, the \method{sorted()}
-  method is also guaranteed to be stable.  A sort is stable if it does not
+  guaranteed to be stable.  A sort is stable if it guarantees not to
   change the relative order of elements that compare equal --- this is
   helpful for sorting in multiple passes (for example, sort by
   department, then by salary grade).
@@ -1079,9 +1075,6 @@ Notes:
   of Python 2.3 makes the list appear empty for the duration, and raises
   \exception{ValueError} if it can detect that the list has been
   mutated during a sort.
-
-\item[(11)] \method{sorted()} is a class method that returns a new list.
-  \versionadded{2.4}
 \end{description}
 
 \subsection{Set Types \label{types-set}}

Doc/whatsnew/whatsnew24.tex

@@ -177,9 +177,9 @@ they were input.  For example, you can sort a list of people by name,
 and then sort the list by age, resulting in a list sorted by age where
 people with the same age are in name-sorted order.
 
-\item The list type gained a \method{sorted(iterable)} method that works
-like the in-place \method{sort()} method but has been made suitable for
-use in expressions.  The differences are:
+\item There is a new builtin function \function{sorted(iterable)} that works
+like the in-place \method{list.sort()} method but has been made suitable
+for use in expressions.  The differences are:
   \begin{itemize}
   \item the input may be any iterable;
   \item a newly formed copy is sorted, leaving the original intact; and
@@ -188,17 +188,17 @@ use in expressions.  The differences are:
 
 \begin{verbatim}
 >>> L = [9,7,8,3,2,4,1,6,5]
->>> [10+i for i in list.sorted(L)]  # usable in a list comprehension
+>>> [10+i for i in sorted(L)]       # usable in a list comprehension
 [11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19]
 >>> L = [9,7,8,3,2,4,1,6,5]         # original is left unchanged
 [9,7,8,3,2,4,1,6,5]   
 
->>> list.sorted('Monte Python')     # any iterable may be an input
+>>> sorted('Monte Python')          # any iterable may be an input
 [' ', 'M', 'P', 'e', 'h', 'n', 'n', 'o', 'o', 't', 't', 'y']
 
 >>> # List the contents of a dict sorted by key values
 >>> colormap = dict(red=1, blue=2, green=3, black=4, yellow=5)
->>> for k, v in list.sorted(colormap.iteritems()):
+>>> for k, v in sorted(colormap.iteritems()):
 ...     print k, v
 ...
 black 4
@@ -301,14 +301,14 @@ counting, or identifying duplicate elements:
 
 \begin{verbatim}
 >>> word = 'abracadabra'
->>> word = list.sorted(word)   # Turn string into sorted list of letters
->>> word 
+>>> letters = sorted(word)   # Turn string into sorted list of letters
+>>> letters 
 ['a', 'a', 'a', 'a', 'a', 'b', 'b', 'c', 'd', 'r', 'r']
->>> [k for k, g in groupby(word)]   # List the various group keys
+>>> [k for k, g in groupby(word)]                     # List unique letters
 ['a', 'b', 'c', 'd', 'r']
->>> [(k, len(list(g))) for k, g in groupby(word)] # List key and group length
+>>> [(k, len(list(g))) for k, g in groupby(word)]     # Count letter occurences
 [('a', 5), ('b', 2), ('c', 1), ('d', 1), ('r', 2)]
->>> [k for k, g in groupby(word) if len(list(g)) > 1] # All groups of size >1
+>>> [k for k, g in groupby(word) if len(list(g)) > 1] # List duplicate letters
 ['a', 'b', 'r']
 \end{verbatim}
 

Lib/UserList.py

@@ -78,11 +78,6 @@ def count(self, item): return self.data.count(item)
     def index(self, item, *args): return self.data.index(item, *args)
     def reverse(self): self.data.reverse()
     def sort(self, *args, **kwds): self.data.sort(*args, **kwds)
-    def sorted(cls, iterable, *args, **kwds):
-        s = cls(iterable)
-        s.sort(*args, **kwds)
-        return s
-    sorted = classmethod(sorted)
     def extend(self, other):
         if isinstance(other, UserList):
             self.data.extend(other.data)

Lib/pyclbr.py

@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ def _main():
     for obj in objs:
         if isinstance(obj, Class):
             print "class", obj.name, obj.super, obj.lineno
-            methods = list.sorted(obj.methods.iteritems(), key=itemgetter(1))
+            methods = sorted(obj.methods.iteritems(), key=itemgetter(1))
             for name, lineno in methods:
                 if name != "__path__":
                     print "  def", name, lineno

Lib/test/test_builtin.py

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 import test.test_support, unittest
 from test.test_support import fcmp, have_unicode, TESTFN, unlink
 
-import sys, warnings, cStringIO
+import sys, warnings, cStringIO, random
 warnings.filterwarnings("ignore", "hex../oct.. of negative int",
                         FutureWarning, __name__)
 warnings.filterwarnings("ignore", "integer argument expected",
@@ -1153,8 +1153,41 @@ def __getitem__(self, i):
                     return i
         self.assertRaises(ValueError, zip, BadSeq(), BadSeq())
 
+class TestSorted(unittest.TestCase):
+
+    def test_basic(self):
+        data = range(100)
+        copy = data[:]
+        random.shuffle(copy)
+        self.assertEqual(data, sorted(copy))
+        self.assertNotEqual(data, copy)
+
+        data.reverse()
+        random.shuffle(copy)
+        self.assertEqual(data, sorted(copy, cmp=lambda x, y: cmp(y,x)))
+        self.assertNotEqual(data, copy)
+        random.shuffle(copy)
+        self.assertEqual(data, sorted(copy, key=lambda x: -x))
+        self.assertNotEqual(data, copy)
+        random.shuffle(copy)
+        self.assertEqual(data, sorted(copy, reverse=1))
+        self.assertNotEqual(data, copy)
+
+    def test_inputtypes(self):
+        s = 'abracadabra'
+        for T in [unicode, list, tuple]:
+            self.assertEqual(sorted(s), sorted(T(s)))
+
+        s = ''.join(dict.fromkeys(s).keys())  # unique letters only
+        for T in [unicode, set, frozenset, list, tuple, dict.fromkeys]:
+            self.assertEqual(sorted(s), sorted(T(s)))
+
+    def test_baddecorator(self):
+        data = 'The quick Brown fox Jumped over The lazy Dog'.split()
+        self.assertRaises(TypeError, sorted, data, None, lambda x,y: 0)
+
 def test_main():
-    test.test_support.run_unittest(BuiltinTest)
+    test.test_support.run_unittest(BuiltinTest, TestSorted)
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     test_main()

Lib/test/test_descrtut.py

@@ -226,8 +226,7 @@ def merge(self, other):
      'pop',
      'remove',
      'reverse',
-     'sort',
-     'sorted']
+     'sort']
 
 The new introspection API gives more information than the old one:  in
 addition to the regular methods, it also shows the methods that are

Lib/test/test_itertools.py

@@ -97,16 +97,16 @@ def test_groupby(self):
         # Exercise pipes and filters style
         s = 'abracadabra'
         # sort s | uniq
-        r = [k for k, g in groupby(list.sorted(s))]
+        r = [k for k, g in groupby(sorted(s))]
         self.assertEqual(r, ['a', 'b', 'c', 'd', 'r'])
         # sort s | uniq -d
-        r = [k for k, g in groupby(list.sorted(s)) if list(islice(g,1,2))]
+        r = [k for k, g in groupby(sorted(s)) if list(islice(g,1,2))]
         self.assertEqual(r, ['a', 'b', 'r'])
         # sort s | uniq -c
-        r = [(len(list(g)), k) for k, g in groupby(list.sorted(s))]
+        r = [(len(list(g)), k) for k, g in groupby(sorted(s))]
         self.assertEqual(r, [(5, 'a'), (2, 'b'), (1, 'c'), (1, 'd'), (2, 'r')])
         # sort s | uniq -c | sort -rn | head -3
-        r = list.sorted([(len(list(g)) , k) for k, g in groupby(list.sorted(s))], reverse=True)[:3]
+        r = sorted([(len(list(g)) , k) for k, g in groupby(sorted(s))], reverse=True)[:3]
         self.assertEqual(r, [(5, 'a'), (2, 'r'), (2, 'b')])
 
         # iter.next failure
@@ -669,7 +669,7 @@ def f(t):
 
 >>> from operator import itemgetter
 >>> d = dict(a=1, b=2, c=1, d=2, e=1, f=2, g=3)
->>> di = list.sorted(d.iteritems(), key=itemgetter(1))
+>>> di = sorted(d.iteritems(), key=itemgetter(1))
 >>> for k, g in groupby(di, itemgetter(1)):
 ...     print k, map(itemgetter(0), g)
 ...

Lib/test/test_operator.py

@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ def test_itemgetter(self):
         inventory = [('apple', 3), ('banana', 2), ('pear', 5), ('orange', 1)]
         getcount = operator.itemgetter(1)
         self.assertEqual(map(getcount, inventory), [3, 2, 5, 1])
-        self.assertEqual(list.sorted(inventory, key=getcount),
+        self.assertEqual(sorted(inventory, key=getcount),
             [('orange', 1), ('banana', 2), ('apple', 3), ('pear', 5)])
 
 def test_main():

Lib/test/test_set.py

@@ -22,8 +22,8 @@ def setUp(self):
         self.d = dict.fromkeys(word)
 
     def test_uniquification(self):
-        actual = list.sorted(self.s)
-        expected = list.sorted(self.d)
+        actual = sorted(self.s)
+        expected = sorted(self.d)
         self.assertEqual(actual, expected)
         self.assertRaises(PassThru, self.thetype, check_pass_thru())
         self.assertRaises(TypeError, self.thetype, [[]])
@@ -1241,7 +1241,7 @@ def test_constructor(self):
         for cons in (set, frozenset):
             for s in ("123", "", range(1000), ('do', 1.2), xrange(2000,2200,5)):
                 for g in (G, I, Ig, S, L, R):
-                    self.assertEqual(list.sorted(cons(g(s))), list.sorted(g(s)))
+                    self.assertEqual(sorted(cons(g(s))), sorted(g(s)))
                 self.assertRaises(TypeError, cons , X(s))
                 self.assertRaises(TypeError, cons , N(s))
                 self.assertRaises(ZeroDivisionError, cons , E(s))
@@ -1253,7 +1253,7 @@ def test_inline_methods(self):
                 for g in (G, I, Ig, L, R):
                     expected = meth(data)
                     actual = meth(G(data))
-                    self.assertEqual(list.sorted(actual), list.sorted(expected))
+                    self.assertEqual(sorted(actual), sorted(expected))
                 self.assertRaises(TypeError, meth, X(s))
                 self.assertRaises(TypeError, meth, N(s))
                 self.assertRaises(ZeroDivisionError, meth, E(s))
@@ -1267,7 +1267,7 @@ def test_inplace_methods(self):
                     t = s.copy()
                     getattr(s, methname)(list(g(data)))
                     getattr(t, methname)(g(data))
-                    self.assertEqual(list.sorted(s), list.sorted(t))
+                    self.assertEqual(sorted(s), sorted(t))
 
                 self.assertRaises(TypeError, getattr(set('january'), methname), X(data))
                 self.assertRaises(TypeError, getattr(set('january'), methname), N(data))

Lib/test/test_sort.py

@@ -248,66 +248,11 @@ def test_reverse_stability(self):
         copy2.sort(key=lambda x: x[0], reverse=True)
         self.assertEqual(data, copy2)
 
-class TestSorted(unittest.TestCase):
-
-    def test_basic(self):
-        data = range(100)
-        copy = data[:]
-        random.shuffle(copy)
-        self.assertEqual(data, list.sorted(copy))
-        self.assertNotEqual(data, copy)
-
-        data.reverse()
-        random.shuffle(copy)
-        self.assertEqual(data, list.sorted(copy, cmp=lambda x, y: cmp(y,x)))
-        self.assertNotEqual(data, copy)
-        random.shuffle(copy)
-        self.assertEqual(data, list.sorted(copy, key=lambda x: -x))
-        self.assertNotEqual(data, copy)
-        random.shuffle(copy)
-        self.assertEqual(data, list.sorted(copy, reverse=1))
-        self.assertNotEqual(data, copy)
-
-    def test_inputtypes(self):
-        s = 'abracadabra'
-        for T in [unicode, list, tuple]:
-            self.assertEqual(list.sorted(s), list.sorted(T(s)))
-
-        s = ''.join(dict.fromkeys(s).keys())  # unique letters only
-        for T in [unicode, set, frozenset, list, tuple, dict.fromkeys]:
-            self.assertEqual(list.sorted(s), list.sorted(T(s)))
-
-    def test_baddecorator(self):
-        data = 'The quick Brown fox Jumped over The lazy Dog'.split()
-        self.assertRaises(TypeError, list.sorted, data, None, lambda x,y: 0)
-
-    def classmethods(self):
-        s = "hello world"
-        a = list.sorted(s)
-        b = UserList.sorted(s)
-        c = [].sorted(s)
-        d = UserList().sorted(s)
-        class Mylist(list):
-            def __new__(cls):
-                return UserList()
-        e = MyList.sorted(s)
-        f = MyList().sorted(s)
-        class Myuserlist(UserList):
-            def __new__(cls):
-                return []
-        g = MyList.sorted(s)
-        h = MyList().sorted(s)
-        self.assert_(a == b == c == d == e == f == g == h)
-        self.assert_(b.__class__ == d.__class__ == UserList)
-        self.assert_(e.__class__ == f.__class__ == MyList)
-        self.assert_(g.__class__ == h.__class__ == Myuserlist)
-
 #==============================================================================
 
 def test_main(verbose=None):
     test_classes = (
         TestDecorateSortUndecorate,
-        TestSorted,
         TestBugs,
     )
 

Misc/NEWS

@@ -75,6 +75,9 @@ Core and builtins
 - Added a reversed() builtin function that returns a reverse iterator
   over a sequence.
 
+- Added a sorted() builtin function that returns a new sorted list
+  from any iterable.  
+
 - CObjects are now mutable (on the C level) through PyCObject_SetVoidPtr.
 
 - list.sort() now supports three keyword arguments:  cmp, key, and reverse.
@@ -86,9 +89,6 @@ Core and builtins
   starting with Py2.3 are guaranteed to be stable (the relative order of
   records with equal keys is unchanged).
 
-- Added a list.sorted() classmethod that returns a new sorted list
-  from any iterable.
-
 - Added test whether wchar_t is signed or not. A signed wchar_t is not
   usable as internal unicode type base for Py_UNICODE since the
   unicode implementation assumes an unsigned type.

Objects/listobject.c

@@ -2020,38 +2020,6 @@ PyList_Sort(PyObject *v)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static PyObject *
-listsorted(PyObject *cls, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds)
-{
-	PyObject *newlist, *v, *seq, *compare=NULL, *keyfunc=NULL, *newargs;
-	static char *kwlist[] = {"iterable", "cmp", "key", "reverse", 0};
-	long reverse;
-
-	if (args != NULL) {
-		if (!PyArg_ParseTupleAndKeywords(args, kwds, "O|OOi:sorted",
-			kwlist, &seq, &compare, &keyfunc, &reverse))
-			return NULL;
-	}
-
-	newlist = PyObject_CallFunctionObjArgs(cls, seq, NULL);
-	if (newlist == NULL)
-		return NULL;
-	
-	newargs = PyTuple_GetSlice(args, 1, 4);
-	if (newargs == NULL) {
-		Py_DECREF(newlist);
-		return NULL;
-	}
-	v = listsort((PyListObject *)newlist, newargs, kwds);
-	Py_DECREF(newargs);
-	if (v == NULL) {
-		Py_DECREF(newlist);
-		return NULL;
-	}
-	Py_DECREF(v);
-	return newlist;
-}
-
 static PyObject *
 listreverse(PyListObject *self)
 {
@@ -2394,9 +2362,6 @@ PyDoc_STRVAR(reverse_doc,
 PyDoc_STRVAR(sort_doc,
 "L.sort(cmp=None, key=None, reverse=False) -- stable sort *IN PLACE*;\n\
 cmp(x, y) -> -1, 0, 1");
-PyDoc_STRVAR(sorted_doc,
-"list.sorted(iterable, cmp=None, key=None, reverse=False) --> new sorted list;\n\
-cmp(x, y) -> -1, 0, 1");
 
 static PyObject *list_subscript(PyListObject*, PyObject*);
 
@@ -2412,8 +2377,6 @@ static PyMethodDef list_methods[] = {
 	{"count",	(PyCFunction)listcount,   METH_O, count_doc},
 	{"reverse",	(PyCFunction)listreverse, METH_NOARGS, reverse_doc},
 	{"sort",	(PyCFunction)listsort, 	  METH_VARARGS | METH_KEYWORDS, sort_doc},
-	{"sorted",	(PyCFunction)listsorted,  
-		METH_VARARGS | METH_KEYWORDS | METH_CLASS, sorted_doc},
  	{NULL,		NULL}		/* sentinel */
 };
 

Python/bltinmodule.c

@@ -1758,6 +1758,50 @@ PyDoc_STRVAR(round_doc,
 Round a number to a given precision in decimal digits (default 0 digits).\n\
 This always returns a floating point number.  Precision may be negative.");
 
+static PyObject *
+builtin_sorted(PyObject *self, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds)
+{
+	PyObject *newlist, *v, *seq, *compare=NULL, *keyfunc=NULL, *newargs;
+	PyObject *callable;
+	static char *kwlist[] = {"iterable", "cmp", "key", "reverse", 0};
+	long reverse;
+
+	if (args != NULL) {
+		if (!PyArg_ParseTupleAndKeywords(args, kwds, "O|OOi:sorted",
+			kwlist, &seq, &compare, &keyfunc, &reverse))
+			return NULL;
+	}
+
+	newlist = PySequence_List(seq);
+	if (newlist == NULL)
+		return NULL;
+
+	callable = PyObject_GetAttrString(newlist, "sort");
+	if (callable == NULL) {
+		Py_DECREF(newlist);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+	
+	newargs = PyTuple_GetSlice(args, 1, 4);
+	if (newargs == NULL) {
+		Py_DECREF(newlist);
+		Py_DECREF(callable);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	v = PyObject_Call(callable, newargs, kwds);
+	Py_DECREF(newargs);
+	Py_DECREF(callable);
+	if (v == NULL) {
+		Py_DECREF(newlist);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+	Py_DECREF(v);
+	return newlist;
+}
+
+PyDoc_STRVAR(sorted_doc,
+"sorted(iterable, cmp=None, key=None, reverse=False) --> new sorted list");
 
 static PyObject *
 builtin_vars(PyObject *self, PyObject *args)
@@ -2055,6 +2099,7 @@ static PyMethodDef builtin_methods[] = {
  	{"repr",	builtin_repr,       METH_O, repr_doc},
  	{"round",	builtin_round,      METH_VARARGS, round_doc},
  	{"setattr",	builtin_setattr,    METH_VARARGS, setattr_doc},
+ 	{"sorted",	(PyCFunction)builtin_sorted,     METH_VARARGS | METH_KEYWORDS, sorted_doc},
  	{"sum",		builtin_sum,        METH_VARARGS, sum_doc},
 #ifdef Py_USING_UNICODE
  	{"unichr",	builtin_unichr,     METH_VARARGS, unichr_doc},