Re: [RFC] Draft Proposal for New Python Syntax

Gary Capell (gary@cs.su.oz.au)
26 May 1994 00:50:56 +1000

lance@fox.com writes:
> > I rejected keywords like 'end', 'end if', etc. for the use as block
> > closers. First, introducing new keywords is always problematic, and
> > many people would not accept that. Second, keywords need more key
> > strokes. Third, keywords are less visible than combinations of
> > non-alphanumeric characters.

>I disagree with the last statement. Actually they are easier to
>visually spot.

I dislike keywords as block closers because they are obtrusive. For
ease of reading code, whitespace > non-alpha char > keywords for block
closers, (except sometimes matching braces helps, particularly if done
automatically by the editor/window system).

Having 'begin's and 'end's sprinkled throughout the code is ugly, I think.

> This is NOT the time to change the syntax in a non-compatible way.
>people are using Python for production items and now that Python
>is posted to the net and gaining acceptance, I feel that this type
>of change would cause a lot of people to change. Whatever changes
>are made to the language, they MUST be compatible.

Yargh, backwards compatibility rears its ugly head. I thought Python
was still rapidly growing, and maybe NOW is the last chance to make
an important major change.

-- 
"I went to the woods because I wanted to live deliberately."