New Python 3.0 string formatting - really necessary?

[r]

Thanks Steven,
We need a real Pepsi challenge here to show the insignificance of this
change. I am not against change. But when we lose something as -
compact- as %formating i'm going to want to see a damn good reason for
it! Especially when this breaks code, and the "French Connection" is
not good enough reason for me :)

Christian said this was not going to be depreciated until 3.2, but
that still puts the accepted way on the chopping block.