[Python-Dev] PEP 292, Simpler String Substitutions

[Guido van Rossum]

> I really hate putting things in modules that will be needed in a Python
> programmer's second program (the one after "Hello world"). If this is to
> be the *simpler* way of doing introspection then getting at it should be
> simpler than getting at "%". $ is taught in hour 2, import is taught on
> day 2. Some people may never make it to the metaphorical day 2 if they
> are doing simple text processing in some kind of embedded-Python
> environment.

This is a good argument for making this a built-in (Barry, please add
to your PEP!).

Though I doubt that string % is taught in hour two -- you cna do
everything you want with str() and string concatenation, both of which
*are* taught in hour two.  (And you can do *most* of what you want
with print, which is taught in hour one. :-)

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