[Python-Dev] Deprecating obsolete builtins

[Jeremy Hylton]

On Wed, 2003-11-05 at 10:23, Guido van Rossum wrote:
> > Removing _any_ built-in that was around in 1.5.2 will pose similar
> > problems.
> 
> Only proportional to the likelihood that it was used in 1.5.2, which
> is proportional to how useful it is.  intern(): extremely unlikely
> (nobody knows what it's for); coerce(): rather unlikely (too
> advanced); apply(): very likely.

The solution is to get people to stop using 1.5.2.  I don't entirely
understand why so many people write new code that needs to work with it.

Jeremy