[Python-Dev] Re: Stability and change

[Michael Hudson]

Tim Peters <tim.one@comcast.net> writes:

> The first textbook I had on mathematical logic was Stephen Kleene's
> (yes, that Kleene) cheerfully named "Mathematical Logic".  The first
> chapter contained a warning to the student:
> 
>     It will be very important as we proceed to keep in mind this
>     distinction between the logic we are studying (the object logic)
>     and our use of logic in studying it (the observer's logic).  To
>     any student who is not ready to do so, we suggest that he close
>     the book now, and pick some other subject instead, such as
>     acrostics or beekeeping.

Can you say "downward Skolem-Loewenheim"?

> For this reason, I suggest naming the hypothetical "forward and backward
> compatible forever more" Python branch the "Python Acrostics and Beekeeping"
> branch.

Suits me.

Cheers,
M.

-- 
  I never realized it before, but having looked that over I'm certain
  I'd rather have my eyes burned out by zombies with flaming dung
  sticks than work on a conscientious Unicode regex engine.
                                             -- Tim Peters, 3 Dec 1998