Evolving Python and PEP238

[Donn Cave]

Paul Prescod <paulp at ActiveState.com> writes:
...
| Now consider if Guido says: "I'm going to be changing a behaviour that
| was deprecated in 1.4 and has issued a warning since then. Any
| complaints?" Would anyone here complain? I doubt it. The offending
| feature would have been expunged from the collective consciousness so
| long ago that people would not even remember it.

Worth also considering, as long as we're set up for this thought
experiment, whether 1.5.2 would have been so widely installed, if
it were issuing warnings for what had been a common and arguably
reasonable usage.

Basically your point revolves around the outcome of the transitional
warnings in 1.5.2.  Did we arrive here, with all these people using
Python and happy that we're ready to finally make the transition?

Or are we talking to an empty room?  Maybe that would be better,
then the next crowd won't be frightened by all the pocket protectors
and uncombed hair and stuff.  Anyway, I think Python is losing
ground in some quarters because of this already, before it has even
been officially decided.  By the time the behavior actually changes,
that process will be mostly complete.  And those who remain at that
point probably won't complain, true.

	Donn Cave, donn at u.washington.edu