Case-sensitivity: why -- or why not? (was Re: Damnation!)

[Andrew Henshaw]

Ben Cornett  wrote:
>
>this IS An exAmple oF WHat I meaNt WHEn I SAid "vOtIng DoesN'T HElP".
>
...snip...
The interesting thing about this is that I could read it.  A case-insensitive
compiler couldn't handle a single case flip.  That's why I don't understand
the argument that (English-speaking) humans are case sensitive.  In general
we're not.  We prefer that everyone follow case-usage rules, but we don't
require it.  In my opinion, that's the way programming should work.  I would
like to read a program that followed case usage for readability; but, I
don't want an interpreter to barf when case is ignored.  

If I name a function 'Function', then I'm doing it for readability; but, when
I'm in the interpreter, I want to type 'function'.  Particularly because of
its interactive environment, I find the argument for a case-preserving,
case-insensitive Python very compelling.

Andrew Henshaw