[Python-Dev] Re: PEP 263 - Defining Python Source Code Encodings

[François Pinard]

[Guido van Rossum]

> This is exactly what the Chinese are already doing.  I'm just worried
> that sooner or later they'll write someting that's useful outside China.
> I hope that English will remain the language for libraries shared within
> the Python community at large.

You know, people are already quite aware that if they want to contribute
to the whole community, English is their best bet.  If not evident enough
already, this may be cut in writing within Python style guidelines: anything
being contributed to Python has to be documented and commented in English.
(On the other hand, the Python project might be kind enough for allowing
various contributors to write their own name the way they like it best.)

> Well, for one, not everybody has an easy way to edit Unicode files.

In practice, from your viewpoint, it is unlikely that you'll have much to
play with non-English and non-ASCII Python sources, if ever.  And if it
happens nevertheless, you are even in a position to request that modules be
translated before you look at them.  For a lot of years, in other projects,
I never witnessed that it has been a real problem in practice.

Of course, closed shops will take good care and make sure they have the
proper tools.  No need to protect them against themselves! :-)

-- 
François Pinard   http://www.iro.umontreal.ca/~pinard