[Python-ideas] Proposal: Moratorium on Python language changes

[Larry Bugbee]

On Wed, Oct 21, 2009 at 12:42 PM, Guido van Rossum wrote:
 > I propose a moratorium on language changes. This would be a
 > period of several years during which no changes to Python's
 > grammar or language semantics will be accepted.


I think a moratorium would be Goodness.  I cannot imagine it doing any  
harm.  I'd even go so far as to say new language syntax and semantics  
should only come in only at top level version numbers like 2.0, 3.0,  
4.0, etc.  ...not at 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, etc.  And at this later date, I  
submit language changes should not come in unless there is a  
compelling reason.

Two areas where language support would be welcome:
- the optional declaration of data types
- parallel processing

FWIW, I do a lot of crypto and for now have chosen to remain at  
2.5.x.  For me, byte strings are all important, and a few quick forays  
into Python 3 and its default Unicode suggested I should proceed very  
carefully.  My experiments with Python 2.6 left me uncomfortable as  
well.  There I ran into a couple of standard libraries that had the  
same API but their implementation/behavior was different.  (No, that  
was many months ago and I do not remember which.  Sorry.)  In time I  
will move to Py3.