A grep through the codebase shows that RawConfigParser.items() is the only .items() method in the stdlib which accepts arguments.

This is annoying as a stdlib user because when I see the arguments being passed to RawConfigParser.items(), I have _no idea_ what they do.  Instinctively, I do not expect .items() to take arguments, and I have to go and work out what it does each time.

I think it would be both easier to understand, and more consistent with general Pythonic practice, if the two codepaths in RawConfigParser.items() were split in to separate methods; one which takes no arguments (which will continue to behave as it does today when called that way) and one which is named in a way that makes it clearer what it does (and takes arguments).