[Python-Dev] *Simpler* string substitutions

[Skip Montanaro]

    Alex> This is the point I mentioned at the start about effects of user
    Alex> base.  Given that the user base is largish AND biased AGAINST
    Alex> featuritis, it should HELP you "withstand the pressure to add
    Alex> features"... if you WANT to withstand it.  I.e., you'll mostly get
    Alex> strong support for any stance of "let's NOT add this".  You may
    Alex> dislike that when you WANT to add a feature, but surely not when
    Alex> it's about "withstanding the pressure".

Alex,

I think you're missing one point.  As the Python user base grows, even
though the majority of people are comfortable with the status quo, most of
them are silent most of the time, more people who do want some changes are
added to the mix, and more people with strident voices who want some changes
are avaiable.  Guido isn't cloned to keep up with the increasing user base,
however.

(I'm obviously picking numbers out of thin air in what follows.) If you go
from 100,000 users, 100 of whom would like their favorite bit from the last
language they used added to Python, and 1 of whom is a crackpot who just
won't take "no" for an answer, to 1,000,000 users, you probably have 10
crackpots and 1,000 less strident voices now clamoring for change.  You also
probably have multiple proposals for similar changes (like string
interpolation - everybody has their favorite scheme, whether it's $name,
${name}, %(name)s, or <<name>>).  You still have just one BDFL, however.  He
has more inputs to consider, and has to figure out who among the much larger
masses are the crackpots.  And some of the arguments, whether they come from
crackpots or not, are fairly convincing.  Makes it tougher to resist change.

Skip