How much is set in stone?

[Chris Barker]

Jive Dadson wrote:
> > You can bet that this has been proposed by people new to Python again
> > and again and again ...
> 
> What does that tell you?

As others have mentioned, it means that when people come to Python with
experience with other languages, they immediately start proposing that
Python add their favorite features from their previous language.

> > ... and I can promise you that this is one thing that
> > is very well cemented in. If there is one thing that makes Python
> > Python, is that it is a highly dynamic language. THat is not going to
> > change.
> 
> You must have misunderstood what I wrote.  I'm not proposing anything
> that would make it "lowly dynamic".

While you did propose that "option explicit" was optional, that
essentially creates two dialects of the language, which is frowned upon,
unless it's temorary (see various from __future__ options)

And, yes you are proposing a reduction in dynamisism. Would this be
legal?

option explicit

class dummy_class:
	pass

spam = dummy_class()

spam.eggs = 5

Python currently allows you to dynamically add attributes to a class
instance. some people consider that dangerous, but it really is part of
the dynamic nature of Python.

Anyway, I in no way intend or intended to argue the merits of your
proposal, what I am saying is that it is highly unlikely that it would
ever get added to Python.

> There's a pragmatic reason I'm asking for this feature.  One of our
> customers has suggested that we implement scripting using Python.  I've
> looked into Python, and I am very impressed with what I see.  But I
> would have grave misgivings giving it to customers with variable
> declarations the way they are now.

Clearly you have these misgivings, and based on your experience with
other languages, you think this is important, but you have probably
figured out from this thread that there are a whole lot of people using
Python out there that do not see this as a big issue at all. A bug is a
bug, and this feature would only catch very few bugs. While this is a
pretty limited proposal, there have been many, many proposals for
features that would help the compiler catch minor bugs for you. The
consensus among most Python users is that they add little value.

-Chris




-- 
Christopher Barker,
Ph.D.                                                           
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