[Python-ideas] keywording prohibited

[Ben Finney]

spir <denis.spir at free.fr> writes:

> I have noticed a rather strong and nearly systematic opposition to
> (new) keywords. Cannot really figure out why. Would someone clearly
> expose the reasoning behind keeping the keyword set as small as
> possible?

Because a programming language whose syntax and keyword set can be
easily contained all in one's head, concurrently with all the other
things that one must keep thinking about while programming, is superior
to one for which that's more difficult. Increasing the size of the
language (its keywords or other syntax) moves it in that dimension from
easy to difficult.

Sometimes that's worth the cost; but the cost is significant, so the
resistance must be strong.

-- 
 \         “Broken promises don't upset me. I just think, why did they |
  `\                                         believe me?” —Jack Handey |
_o__)                                                                  |
Ben Finney