[Python-3000] Support for PEP 3131

[Guillaume Proux]

Hi Jason,

Very interesting post. I will just make a little comment.

On 5/13/07, Jason Orendorff <jason.orendorff at gmail.com> wrote:
> Python should allow foreign-language identifiers because (1) it's a
> gesture of good will to people everywhere who don't speak English
> fluently;  (2) some students will benefit;  (3) some people writing code
> that no one else will ever see will benefit.

I would change your (1) slightly to make it clear that it is NOT a
fluency in English vs. other language issue. What this is about is
really the ability to efficiently read/write Python programs when it
is usually a challenge to read (but also write) latin characters.
Once again, you would be surprised how challenging it is for e.g. most
Japanese people to decipher text written in latin characters.

> I think the gesture alone is worth it, even if no one ever used the
> feature productively.  But people will.  The cost to python-dev is low,
> and the cost to English-speaking users is very likely zero.

ASCII limitations have disappeared everywhere in the usage of most
modern OSes because the historical memory limitations have no more
meaning. It is great to see that Python could become the first
language to *really* enter the 21st century.

Regards,

Guillaume