Update the code for BaseException to have 'args' be more backwards-compatible.

Also reformat some methods to use the conditional operator to make the code
simpler.

Also moved the deprecation of 'args' and '__getitem__' to Python 2.9 so that it
won't be removed during the 2.x series.

pep-0352.txt

@@ -66,27 +66,26 @@ will cause the deprecation of the existing ``args`` attribute)::
       def __init__(self, message='', *args):
           """Set 'message' and 'args' attribute"""
           self.message = message
-	  self.args = (message,) + args
+	  self.args = ((message,) + args
+		       	if message != ''
+			else tuple())
 
       def __str__(self):
 	  """Return the str of 'message'"""
-	  if len(self.args) > 1:
-	      return str(self.args)
-	  else:
-	      return str(self.message)
+	  return str(self.message
+			if not self.args
+			else self.args)
 
       def __unicode__(self):
 	  """Return the unicode of 'message'"""
-          if len(self.args) > 1:
-	      return unicode(self.args)
-	  else:
-	      return unicode(self.message)
+	  return unicode(self.message
+			    if not self.args
+			    else self.args)
 
       def __repr__(self):
-          if len(self.args) > 1:
-	      args_repr = "*%s" % self.args
-	  else:
-	      args_repr = repr(self.message)
+	  args_repr = (repr(self.message)
+		       	if not self.args
+			else "*%r" % self.args)
           return "%s(%s)" % (self.__class__.__name__, args_repr)
 
       def __getitem__(self, index):
@@ -190,7 +189,8 @@ is needed.  The goal is to end up with the new semantics being used in
 Python 3.0 while providing a smooth transition for 2.x code.  All
 deprecations mentioned in the plan will lead to the removal of the
 semantics starting in the version following the introduction of the
-deprecation.
+deprecation and the raising of a DeprecationWarning for the version
+specifically listed.
 
 * Python 2.5
 
@@ -216,6 +216,9 @@ deprecation.
 
   - deprecate catching exceptions that do not inherit from BaseException
 
+
+* Python 2.9
+  
   - deprecate ``args`` and ``__getitem__``