[Python-Dev] Alternative placeholder delimiters for PEP 292

[Andrew Durdin]

(oops -- I accidentally sent this reply to python-list instead of python-dev)

On Sun, 05 Sep 2004 11:28:09 -0400, Barry Warsaw <barry at python.org> wrote:
>
> It's explained in the section of the PEP titled "Why $ and Braces?".

I quote that section entirely: """The BDFL said it best: The $ means
"substitution" in so many languages besides Perl that I wonder where
you've been. [...] We're copying this from the shell."""

That states that the $-substitution is common in other languages, and
was copied from the shell. It does not provide a case for the merits
of $ substitution (as opposed to using other delimiters), nor a
rationale why copying from another language is a good idea in this
instance.