will python 3000 break my code?

[Ronald L. Dilsavor]

> From: "Fredrik Lundh" <effbot at telia.com>
> Organization: Telia Internet
> Reply-To: "Fredrik Lundh" <effbot at telia.com>
> Newsgroups: comp.lang.python
> Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2000 14:17:02 GMT
> Subject: Re: will python 3000 break my code?
> 
> <F note="posted and mailed">
> 
> Tim Peters <tim_one at email.msn.com> wrote:
>> [Ronald L. Dilsavor]
>>> I am in the process of deciding whether to have a team of folks
>>> invest in implementing our product in Python and this [presumed
>>> incompatibility of Python 3000] was one of the "cons" on my list.
>> 
>> As it should be!  Don't overvalue it, though.  For example, even if Python
>> 3000 is an *entirely different language*, no C program stopped working the
>> day C++ was released -- or a decade later, either.  That is, you won't be
>> alone no matter what, and the current implementation of Python is
>> extraordinarily clean and maintainable:  it still needs Guido's help to
>> guide its evolution, but not at all to keep it running in top shape.
> 
> just to add a few extra points to Tim's excellent
> treatment of this issue:
> 
> if you plan to use python in a commercial context, you
> have a number of ways to make sure you don't get into
> trouble.  they all involve small amounts of $'s, though:
> 
> 1. join the consortium and put some pressure on
> the technical director to make sure nobody's left
> behind by Py3K:
> 
> http://www.python.org/consortium/
> 
> (yes, the consortium's technical director do have
> some influence in these matters ;-).
> 
> 2. make it clear to commercial python tool vendors
> (Secret Labs, Active State, etc) that you're willing
> to support vendors providing a clean upgrade path
> from Python 1.X to Py3K.
> 
> 3. set aside some time to study Python internals, and
> make sure you have local expertise to make necessary
> modifications, if necessary.  also avoid designing your
> application to be overly dependent on implementation
> details in CPython 1.X (reference counting, types,
> access to bytecodes, etc.  looking at JPython might
> help here).
> 
> 4. buy beer to everyone at the python conference! (or
> join the consortium and buy beer to everyone at the
> consortium meetings)
> 
> </F>
> 
> 

Thanks a lot for your response. I was not expecting big reassurances but I
thought it was worth asking. Its not going to make or break my decision.
Also, I think your item 4 below has real possibilities. Bud Lite or
microbrew?
Ron