[Python-Dev] Another update for PEP 394 -- The "python" Command on Unix-Like Systems

[Steven D'Aprano]

On Wed, Feb 13, 2019 at 05:16:54PM -0500, Terry Reedy wrote:

> It appears python is already python3 for a large majority of human users 
> (as opposed to machines).
> 
> https://www.jetbrains.com/research/python-developers-survey-2018/
> Nearly 20000 valid responses, Oct-Nov.

They may be valid responses, but we don't know if they are 
representative of the broader Python community. Its a self-selected 
survey of people which always makes the results statistically suspect.

(By definition, an Internet survey eliminates responses from people who 
don't fill out surveys on the Internet.)

BUt even if representative, this survey only tells us what version 
people are using, now how they invoke it. We can't conclude that the 
command "python" means Python 3 for these users. We simply don't know 
one way or another (and I personally wouldn't want to hazard a guess.)



-- 
Steven