[Python-Dev] Backwards Incompatibility

[Guido van Rossum]

> On Wed, Feb 21, 2001 at 05:41:41PM -0500, Andrew Kuchling wrote:
> 
> > Compatibility... ay, there's the rub!
> 
> If you include 'ways of thinking' in 'compatibility', I'll agree. Many
> people are used to being able to use exec/from-foo-import-*, and consider it
> part of Python's wonderful flexibility and straightforwardness (I know I do,
> and all my python-proficient and python-learning colleagues do.)

Actually, I've always considered 'exec' mostly one of those must-have-
because-the-competition-has-it features.  Language theorists love it.
In practice, bare exec not that useful; a more restricted form
(e.g. one that always requires the caller to explicitly pass in an
environment) makes much more sense.

As for import *, we all know that it's an abomination...

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