Abstract and concrete syntax

[David Baelde]

Well, thanks for the answers. I guess the fact is that python does not
want to be a functional programming language. This concept is quite large,
and since there is a proper notion of function with closure, I'd say
python is already quite a functional programming language. Even if
assignations and side effects are used all the time (which makes python
easier to learn than a stricter functional programming language in my
opinion).

I agree that statements as expressions could allow obscure code. But it's
so more beautiful concept, makes things simpler to understand! Moreover,
doing this would have kept backward compatibility.

Anyway, I guess it's dead.
The design of programming languages is a complicated thing...
__
David