[Python-ideas] Making colons optional?

[Oleg Broytmann]

On Fri, Feb 06, 2009 at 11:55:12AM -0330, Riobard Zhan wrote:
> On 6-Feb-09, at 11:39 AM, Oleg Broytmann wrote:
>> On Fri, Feb 06, 2009 at 11:23:32AM -0330, Riobard Zhan wrote:
>>> What do you think the idea of making semicolons optional?
>>
>>   You are trying to change the language - and changing the language is
>> a major, big scale change - but you are trying to change the language 
>> for
>> nothing. Small inconsistency (even if I'd agree there is an  
>> inconsistency
>> there) doesn't by itself warrant such a major change. -1000 for the  
>> change.
>
> Making colons is not a major, big scale change.

   It is, because it is now a part of *the language*. Changing the language
is always a major change. If you don't understand - well, we failed to
communicate, and I am stopping now.
   You have to learn to live with small inconsistencies.

> By comparison, what do we get by making "print" a function? Why not  
> create a "put" or "echo" built-in function if we really want the  
> flexibility? Isn't that a major, big scale change?

   Yes, it was a major change, and it warranted a new major release - 3.0.

Oleg.
-- 
     Oleg Broytmann            http://phd.pp.ru/            phd at phd.pp.ru
           Programmers don't die, they just GOSUB without RETURN.