[Python-Dev] (name := expression) doesn't fit the narrative of PEP 20

[Armin Rigo]

Hi,

On 26 April 2018 at 07:50, Raymond Hettinger
<raymond.hettinger at gmail.com> wrote:
>> [Raymond Hettinger <raymond.hettinger at gmail.com>]
>>> After re-reading all the proposed code samples, I believe that
>>> adopting the PEP will make the language harder to teach to people
>>> who are not already software engineers.
>
> (...)
>
> Python is special, in part, because it is not one of those languages.
> It has virtues that make it suitable even for elementary school children.
> We can show well-written Python code to non-computer folks and walk
> them through what it does without their brains melting (something I can't
> do with many of the other languages I've used).  There is a virtue
> in encouraging simple statements that read like English sentences
> organized into English-like paragraphs, presenting itself like
> "executable pseudocode".

I must admit that when I heard about this PEP I thought "this April
1st joke was already done long ago".  I'm sorry to discover that, this
time, it is not actually one.  Thank you, Raymond, for an unlikely
attempt at reminding people what made Python so special---in your
opinion, and mine.


A bientôt,

Armin.