[Python-3000] u'text' as an alias for 'text'?

["Martin v. Löwis"]

> Now, it is quite possible to say that this isn't desirable, and that
> 2.6 and 3.0 should not be able to run the same code at all, even if
> that was possible, but I haven't heard that opinion, and hope it isn't
> common.
> 
> If we need to have this discussion again, I will prepare a longer
> answer to why the 2to3 conversion should be supplemented with a
> possible gradual code path. I started to write an answer already, but
> it's going to take me a while, and I'd rather not. :)

That would be wasteful, indeed.

Few people think that 3k should actively, aggressively, deliberately
break 2.x code.

However, it is decided and has been carved into stone that 3k must
not include any transitional features that serve no other purpose
but to allow running 2.x code. Therefore, you won't get u'text' as
an alternative for 'text', and you won't get a 'unicode' builtin.
All the transitional mechanisms either get into 2.x, or 2to3, or not
implemented at all.

Regards,
Martin