[Python-ideas] allow `lambda' to be spelled λ

[Alexander Belopolsky]

On Wed, Jul 13, 2016 at 2:20 PM, Paul Moore <p.f.moore at gmail.com> wrote:

>
> Um, as someone significantly older than 10 years old, I don't know how
> to type a lambda character on my Windows UK keyboard...


FWIW, in IPython/Jupyter notebooks one can type \lambda followed by a tab
to get the λ character.  The difficulty of typing is a red herring.  Once
it is a part of the language, every editor targeted at a Python programmer
will provide the means to type λ with fewer than 6 keystrokes (6 is the
number of keystrokes needed to type "lambda" without autocompletion.)  The
unfamiliarity is also not an issue.  I am yet to meet a Python programer
who knows what the keyword "lambda" is but does not know how the namesake
Greek character looks.

I am +0 on this feature.  I would be +1 if λ was not already a valid
identifier.

This is one of those features that can easily be ignored by someone who
does not need it, but can significantly improve the experience of those who
do.
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