TreeBuilder.end(tag) differs between cElementTree and ElementTree

[merrellb]

BPO	7215
Superseder	bpo-7214: TreeBuilder.end(tag) differs between cElementTree and ElementTree

^{Note: these values reflect the state of the issue at the time it was migrated and might not reflect the current state.}

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GitHub fields:

assignee = None
closed_at = <Date 2009-10-26.23:33:36.824>
created_at = <Date 2009-10-26.23:32:31.813>
labels = ['type-bug', 'library']
title = 'TreeBuilder.end(tag) differs between cElementTree and ElementTree'
updated_at = <Date 2009-10-27.01:40:40.104>
user = 'https://bugs.python.org/merrellb'

bugs.python.org fields:

activity = <Date 2009-10-27.01:40:40.104>
actor = 'r.david.murray'
assignee = 'none'
closed = True
closed_date = <Date 2009-10-26.23:33:36.824>
closer = 'merrellb'
components = ['Library (Lib)']
creation = <Date 2009-10-26.23:32:31.813>
creator = 'merrellb'
dependencies = []
files = []
hgrepos = []
issue_num = 7215
keywords = []
message_count = 1.0
messages = ['94543']
nosy_count = 1.0
nosy_names = ['merrellb']
pr_nums = []
priority = 'low'
resolution = 'duplicate'
stage = 'resolved'
status = 'closed'
superseder = '7214'
type = 'behavior'
url = 'https://bugs.python.org/issue7215'
versions = ['Python 2.6']

[merrellb]

In the pure python ElementTree, the tag passed to the end() tag is
verified to be closing the last tag opened (self._last).

This cElementTree performs no such validation and closes the last tag
regardless of what tag is passed to the method.

In my mind this raises a couple questions beyond simply fixing this
discrepancy.

1. Why make this tag mandatory if it has no effect in the cElementTree
   version (and in the pure python version is only used to verify the user
   isn't confused what tag they are closing)
2. Could the argument be removed, simply closing the last tag if not
   present?
3. Or could the behavior be changed to actually influence which tag is
   closed, allowing one to close all tags out to a specific
   outer/encompassing tag (much like close(), closes all tags)?

-brian