[Python-Dev] Issue #26204: compiler now emits a SyntaxWarning on constant statement

[Guido van Rossum]

The warning for 'assert (cond, msg)' was specifically put in because
this is a nasty trap. It's *always* a mistaken attempt to write
'assert cond, msg' -- usually in an attempt to break a long line
without using a backslash. I'd actually consider promoting it to a
syntax error rather than removing the warning.

Compared to other "lint warnings" this one is much nastier -- it is
also much more certain that it is a mistake. (Much more certain than
e.g. an undefined variable, which could still be legitimate code due
to dynamic updates to globals() or builtins.)

-- 
--Guido van Rossum (python.org/~guido)