New Features in Python 1.6

[Fredrik Lundh]

now posting from Belgium, Tim Peters wrote:
> What we've seen here is simply Guido *finally* embracing a
> policy of giving people exactly what they ask for.

Tim,

I think things are worse than this -- someone just sent me
something that looks like a draft press release, announcing
that O'Reilly had taken over Python development, with Jon
Orwant as CTO, and Larry Wall as the Python 1.6 release
manager.

(it wasn't clear if it was intended for public consumption
at this time, so please don't spread the word around just
yet.  if I get permission, I'll post more info to the list).

given this, Guido's post makes a lot more sense, in a slightly
scary way -- the press release also talks about fusing Python
3000 and Perl's "Topaz" project, rewriting the whole thing in
Scheme.

note that this seems to have been in the work for quite a
while; things like Perl companies hiring python talent, Tom
Christiansen's Python courses [1], Guido schmoozing with
Randal Schwartz on the SD2000 conference [2], the Casbah
folks working on a unified Python/Perl engine, etc.

still think it's kinda weird, though...

</F>

1) http://training.perl.com/open-courses.html
2) http://www.ddj.com/articles/2000/0050/0050toc.htm