[Python-Dev] #Python3 ! ? (was Python Library Support in 3.x)

[Stephen J. Turnbull]

Laurens Van Houtven writes:
 > > The only situation in which I'd direct someone new to programming
 > > away from Python 3 would be if they had a specific need to use a
 > > library that wasn't yet supported.
 > 
 > Yeah, I think the reason for that rule is that the majority of people
 > asking about new software actually start or end up in this category.

I think that the most experienced people have absurdly high standards
for "support" compared to those new to programming.  I hope they check
their advice against the real requirements of the new programmer.

 > Usually it's because they want to do something that people have
 > already solved,

If they're new to programming, they're already in adventure mode.  Why
not point out the Road Less Traveled?  That will make all the
difference.  Of course you should point out that it's going to be
bumpier, and of course that is likely to push the majority of
practical folks back to Python 2.  But some of them are likely to be
willing to endure a bit of frustration, especially if they're told
that their bug reports will be listened to seriously on python-dev
(given help from an experienced hand in formatting them!)

 > A possible solution is that we suggest that people, instead of
 > rolling their own thing from scratch, help to port an existing good
 > 2.x lib to 3.x, or use 2.x?

Exactly.  Don't give them rose-colored glasses about porting, and warn
that some are just plain broken (eg, because of inappropriate
assumptions about bytes vs Unicode).  But on the other hand, some will
mostly work for them, and their bug reports on the corner cases will
be helpful.

 > I don't think it's a good idea to start encouraging NIH in new
 > programmers :-)

Agreed.