Damnation! (was: Re: Python3k extended grammar)

[William Tanksley]

On Sat, 20 May 2000 03:47:39 GMT, Courageous wrote:
>> >> Python is not a democracy.

>> >The success and future of python is a democracy of the most
>> >brutal kind.

>> That's right: and Guido is both the teeming masses AND the guillotine.

>> Seriously, though, the future of Python is not up to any democracy --
>> because even if a majority doesn't like it, it won't be hurt.  We don't
>> need any vote (although we can always leave).

>I appreciate what you're trying to say, but if Python ever
>becomes a mainstream programming language, I can guarantee
>you that it will outgrow Guido.

It may -- and when it does, it will also have outgrown human use.  C
certainly outgrew a single person; so did C++.  Have you ever read reports
from people who attended ANSI standard meetings?  It's pretty frightening
to realise that those comittees are designing programming languages.

No, the only way to get something good is to have a single person with
absolute authority.

>It's generally a bad idea to opine "it's my way or the highway,"
>especially in a setting like this, where the more you say it,
>the less and less true it will become. Conversely, the more
>he listens to what his users have to say, even if it's just
>a token vote, the more likely he is to see continued success
>and growth of this beautiful language.

Well, you're right.  Being rude doesn't help.  But being a pushover
doesn't help either -- I know, I've tried it.

>Hope I haven't offended anyone,

Naw.

>C/

-- 
-William "Billy" Tanksley