[Compiler-sig] Type checking

[Guido van Rossum]

> Hello to all. I hope this is the correct forum for asking about the whys and
> wherefores of Python compilation.
> 
> I, too, am interested in seeing strong type-checking added to the language. I
> wonder what technical reasons prevent strong runtime type-checking from being
> added.
> 
> Here's how naive I am. I would think it would be as easy as
[proposal removed]

Actually, the correct mailing list for this is the types-sig; the
compiler-sig is devoted to issues of parsing and compiling Python, not
to language redesign.

Adding static optional typing has been discussed at length in the
types-sig; in the archives you will find complete proposals (somewhat
similar to yours) as well as the reason why this is seen as one of the
most difficult changes to Python ever considered.  Definitely Python
3000 material!

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