Python's simplicity philosophy

[Thomas Heller]

Alex Martelli <aleax at aleax.it> writes:

> Terry Reedy wrote:
>    ...
>>> personally argued that reduce() should be removed from the language,
>>> but I do agree that it does not have to be part of "core" Python,
>>> and could easily be relegated to a module.)
>> 
>> If the builtins are reduced in 3.0, as I generally would like, I would
>> be fine with moving apply, map, filter, and a repaired version of
>> reduce to a 'fun'ctional or hof module.  But the argument of some
>> seems to be that this batteries-included language should specifically
>> exclude even that.
>
> A functional module would be neat.  A great way to enhance the chance
> that there will be one would be starting one today (e.g. on sourceforge),
> ideally with both pure-Python and C-helped (or pyrex, etc) implementations,
> and get it reasonably-widely used, debugged, optimized.

I would suggest: don't move the implementation to C too fast or too much
of the code.  With pypy on the horizon, this may never be needed (?).

Thomas