[Python-ideas] proto-PEP: Fixing Non-constant Default Arguments

[Roman Susi]

Josiah Carlson wrote:
> "Jan Kanis" <jan.kanis at phil.uu.nl> wrote:
> 
>>On Tue, 30 Jan 2007 23:31:36 +0100, Josiah Carlson <jcarlson at uci.edu>  
>>wrote:
>>
>>>Roman Susi <rnd at onego.ru> wrote:
>>>
>>>>    def foo(x, y, z, bar=, qux=):
>>>>        if baz is Missing:
>>>>            baz = []
>>>>        #code
>>>>
>>>>at least, it doesn't require decorators, is backward compatible
>>>>(hopefully no grammar conflicts in there), reads as English.
>>>
>>>The above with a missing value for a default *is not* backwards
>>>compatible with previous Pythons.  New syntax is, by definition, not
>>>backwards compatible.
>>>
>>> - Josiah
>>
>>As a matter of fact, backward-compatible syntax changes are certainly  
>>possible. (ever wondered how C++ got it's syntax?) Any valid current  
>>python is still going to behave exactly the same if this syntax were to be  
>>accepted. Talking about backward compatibility, I think it is safe to  
>>ignore any text files that don't get accepted by the python interpreter.  
>>This syntax change would certainly not break any existing production  
>>python code.
>>(note: the above statements do not entail in any way that I am in favour  
>>of this syntax change)
> 
> 
> Fowards compatible then.  That is to say, writing for the new proposed
> system will break compatibility with older Pythons.  On the other hand,
> using currently-available language syntax and semantics is compatible
> among the entire range of Pythons available today.

>From wikipedia:


"... a product is said to be backward compatible (or downward
compatible) when it is able to take the place of an older product, by
interoperating with other products that were designed for the older
product."

"Forward compatibility (sometimes confused with extensibility) is the
ability of a system to accept input intended for later versions of itself."


So, the right term is that Python 3000 will be in the syntactic aspect
we discuss backward compatible because it will accept old syntax too.


Regards,
Roman



>  - Josiah
> 
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