[Python-Dev] Rationale for sum()'s design?

[Paul Moore]

On Mon, 14 Mar 2005 17:57:42 -0800, Guido van Rossum
<gvanrossum at gmail.com> wrote:
> Unfortunately this started when I claimed in my blog that sum() was a
> replacement for 80% of all reduce() uses.

That's probably where the error lies, then. When it was introduced,
sum() was for summing numbers. Whether summing numbers is 80% of all
uses of reduce or not is debatable, but I can't say I care. But I *do*
care that this claim was taken as meaning that sum() was *intended*
specifically to replace 80% of all reduce() uses - a clear
misinterpretation.

> I think the conclusion should be that sum() is sufficiently
> constrained by backwards compatibility to make "fixing" it impossible
> before 3.0.

It seems wrong to be talking about "fixing" sum so soon after it was introduced.

Paul.