[Python-Dev] Simple syntax proposal: "not is"

[Steve Holden]

Guido van Rossum wrote:
> On Jan 25, 2008 8:13 AM, Jameson Chema Quinn <jquinn at cs.oberlin.edu> wrote:
>> I'm writing a source code editor that translates identifiers and keywords
>> on-screen into a different natural language. This tool will do no
>> transformations except at the reversible word level. There is one simple,
>> avoidable case where this results in nonsense in many languages: "is not". I
>> propose allowing "not is" as an acceptable alternative to "is not".
>>
>> Obviously English syntax has a deep influence on python syntax, and I would
>> never propose deeper syntactical changes for natural-language-compatibility.
>> This is a trivial change, one that is still easily parseable by an
>> English-native mind (and IMO actually makes more sense logically, since it
>> does not invite confusion with the nonsensical "is (not ...)"). The
>> use-cases where you have to grep for "is not" are few, and the "(is
>> not)|(not is)" pattern that would replace it is still pretty simple.
> 
> Sorry, but this use case just doesn't sound strong enough to change a
> programming language's grammar.
> 
> While I promise you I will remain -1 on the proposal simply because it
> doesn't serve any programmer's goals, you've piqued my curiosity --
> can you give an example of what your tool does? From your description
> I actually have no clue.
> 
It not does sound like a very good idea to me.

regards
  Steve
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