[Python-Dev] Examples for PEP 572

[Antoine Pitrou]

On Wed, 4 Jul 2018 09:43:04 -0300
Brett Cannon <brett at python.org> wrote:
> 
> I think this is a very key point that the "this is bad" crowd is
> overlooking. Even if this syntax turns out to not be that useful, abusing
> the walrus operator can be fixed with a comment of "hard to follow; please
> simplify" without teaching any new concepts or idioms

The same could be said of any language mis-feature.  Do we want to
claim that questionable semantics in Javascript and PHP are not a
problem, because the bad constructs can simply be turned away in code
review?

That sounds like a modern re-phrasing of the old argument, """C is not
dangerous in itself, it's only the fault of incompetent programmers""".
Just replace "incompetent programmers" with "complacent reviewers"...

> Another point is we live in a dictatorship by choice, and yet some people
> seem very upset our dictator dictated in the end.

Not sure what you mean with "by choice".  When I arrived here, I
certainly wasn't asked whether I wanted the place to be a dictatorship
or not ;-)  Granted, I did choose to come here, but not because of a
personal appeal for dictatorship.

One could claim that the qualities of Python are due to it being a
dictatorship.  I think it's impossible to answer that question
rigorously, and all we're left with is our personal feelings and biases
on the subject.

Regards

Antoine.