(In http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2005-October/057501.html) Neil Schemenauer suggested PEP 267 as an example of something that might be easier with the AST compiler. As written, PEP 267 does propose a slight semantics change -- but it might be an improvement, if it is acceptable. Today, after from othermod import val1 import othermod val2 = othermod.val2 othermod.val3 # Just making sure it was referenced early othermod.val1 = "new1" othermod.val2 = "new2" othermod.val3 = "new3" print val1, val2, othermod.val3 The print statement will see the updated val3, but will still have the original values for val1 and val2. Under PEP267, all three variables would be compiled to a slot access in othermod, and would see the updated objects. In many cases, this would be a *good* thing. It might allow reload to be rewritten to do what people expect. On the other hand, it would be a change. Would it be an acceptable change? -jJ