[Python-3000] Announcing PEP 3136

[Guido van Rossum]

(FWIW, I've formally rejected the PEP now, referring to this message.)

--Guido

On 7/3/07, Guido van Rossum <guido at python.org> wrote:
> On 6/30/07, Matt Chisholm <matt-python at theory.org> wrote:
> > I've created and submitted a new PEP proposing support for labels in
> > Python's break and continue statements.  Georg Brandl has graciously
> > added it to the PEP list as PEP 3136:
> >
> > http://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-3136/
>
> I think this is a good summary of various proposals that have been
> floated in the past, plus some new ones. As a PEP, it falls short
> because it doesn't pick a solution but merely offers a large menu of
> possible options. Also, there is nothing about implementation yet.
>
> However, I'm rejecting it on the basis that code so complicated to
> require this feature is very rare. In most cases there are existing
> work-arounds that produce clean code, for example using 'return'.
> While I'm sure there are some (rare) real cases where clarity of the
> code would suffer from a refactoring that makes it possible to use
> return, this is offset by two issues:
>
> 1. The complexity added to the language, permanently. This affects not
> only all Python implementations, but also every source analysis tool,
> plus of course all documentation for the language.
>
> 2. My expectation that the feature will be abused more than it will be
> used right, leading to a net decrease in code clarity (measured across
> all Python code written henceforth). Lazy programmers are everywhere,
> and before you know it you have an incredible mess on your hands of
> unintelligible code.
>
> I realize this is a heavy bar to pass, and somewhat subjective. That's
> okay. There is real value in having a small language. Also, as I said,
> while there are no past PEPs to document it, this has been brought up
> and rejected many times before.
>
> --
> --Guido van Rossum (home page: http://www.python.org/~guido/)
>


-- 
--Guido van Rossum (home page: http://www.python.org/~guido/)