Conversion from proprietary satellite control script language

[Paul Prescod]

TJ Judson wrote:
> 
> ...
> 
> .... I hope
> the powers that be see the argument that it would be better to add a
> less than perfect construct into the language, for the sole purpose
> of gaining more widespread use.  

I think that Python would be twice as popular today if it had block
delimiters. Guido's idea of the Right Thing tends to trump popularity.

I think your cause is hopeless in terms of "standard Python" but maybe
you can share a patch with others who find themselves in your situation.
Even if I'm wrong that the cause is hopeless, Python isn't a business so
nobody is going to implement such an "uncool" feature for you. 

You would have to implement it yourself and then try to convince
everyone else to add it to Python. There are a lot of cool ideas that
Guido has actually "blessed" that are not in Python just because nobody
cares enough (yet) to implement them.

Let me suggest another route: integrate your current scripting language
runtime with the Python runtime. Allow code from one language to call
code from the other. Write new code in Python and leave the old code in
the old language. Merging the interpreters seems to me to be less effort
then writing (and testing!) an X->Python converter.

-- 
 Paul Prescod  - ISOGEN Consulting Engineer speaking for himself
"Music is the stuff between the notes." - Claude Debussy