[Python-ideas] Make all keywords legal as an identifier

[Mike Graham]

On Mon, Apr 25, 2011 at 3:36 PM, haael <haael at interia.pl> wrote:
>
> Hello, guys.
>
> I did post this idea a few months ago. Now the revised version.
>
>
> Goal:
> Let _all_ alphanumeric keywords be legal as names for variables, functions
> and classes, even the ones that are reserved words now.
>
> Rationale:
> 1. Python took most good English words as reserved tokens. Situation goes
> worse from version to version. I often have hard time searching for
> acceptable synonyms.
This is exaggeration, but the point is well-taken.

> 2. Because of that, old Python programs cease to work, even if they do not
> use any abandoned features. Their only sin is using certain words that
> further versions of Python have stolen away.
You do not prevent this with your suggestion.

> 3. Sometimes one needs to import keywords from some other language, XML be
> an example, or "translate" another programming language into Python in one
> way or another. Keyword reservation is a big problem then; it does not allow
> to use the natural Python syntax.
>
> Solution:
> Let the parser treat all keywords that come after a dot (".") as regular
> identifiers.
>
>
> For attributes, nothing changes:
>> boo.for = 7
>
> For names that are not attributes, only one syntax change is needed: let a
> dot precede any identifier.
>> .with = 3
>
> Of course, if a keyword is not preceded by a dot, it would be treated as a
> reserved word, just like now.
>> with = 3  # syntax error
I don't see how this is a real improvement over the current
convention, to add a trailing underscore, so that programs really
needing to use the name "with" would use "with_". This does not
introduce any new syntax and maintains the same level of backwards
comparability your suggestion does.


> There is only one case where a dot is used as a prefix of an identifier and
> that is a relative module import.
>> from .boo import foo
> My change is consistent with this case.
>
>
> One benefit would be that converting current programs to work with future
> versions would be a matter of simple grep.
(This isn't actually true.)

> Python is a great language. In my opinion, this change is the one last step
> to make it every geeky teenager's wet dream: the language where one can
> redefine almost anything. When I work with some problem, I always try to
> translate it to Python, solve and translate back. Prohibited identifier
> names are the main obstacle.
>
> So, let's set the identifiers free and swallow all the world, making Python
> the least common denominator of every computer problem on this planet.
>
>
> Regards,
> Bartosz Tarnowski

Mike