How much is set in stone?

[Jive Dadson]

Roeland Rengelink wrote:
> 
> Jive Dadson wrote:
> >
> > Chris Barker wrote:
> > >
> > > While nothing is actually set in stone, some things are pretty well
> > > cemented in.
> > >
> > > Jive Dadson wrote:
> > > > Thanks.  Before I submit a formal proposal, let me run it by you guys.
> > >
> > > That is a good idea, most PEPs start as a discussion here. AN a whle lot
> > > more start that way and nver make it to a PEP.
> > >
> > > > I've looked through all the PEPS and I was surprised that my suggestion
> > > > is not already there.  So, here it is.  Please comment.
> > >
> > > You can bet that this has been proposed by people new to Python again
> > > and again and again ...
> >
> > What does that tell you?
> >
> 
> That people who are new to a language tend to perceive that language in
> terms of languages they have used previously. 

I can't say that answer disappoints me, because I expected it.

> The most common requests
> for language additions by new users tend to fall in the "can't you add
> this really nice feature from language X to Python" category.

> ...
> > You must have misunderstood what I wrote.  I'm not proposing anything
> > that would make it "lowly dynamic".
> >
> 
> Well, you use the term 'variable declaration' which for most of us
> carries the connotation of both the definition of a name, and a
> restriction of the type of values that can be assigned to it. aka static
> typing.

If you had read what I wrote, you would know I didn't mean anything like
that.

> The request for some kind of static typing is quite common.

Off topic.

> ...
> >
> > I didn't propose anything like that.  The compiler will know that
> > "initialized" is not local to init_everything because it is not declared
> > there with a "def".  That has absolutely nothing to do with anything
> > outside the function init_everything.
> >
> 
> Yes you did ;)]

Did not. (Did too.)  Did not.

> 
> Most local variables shadowing global names, are intended to be local.
> Therefore, the only reasonable thing for your 'option explicit' to do,
> would be to raise an Error with "undefined variable initialized in
> init_everything".

That's right.  If you had read my the message you are arguing with, you
would see that I proposed exactly that, even spelling out the syntax of
the exception message.

I'm dumping the rest of your message unread.

Bye now.

Jive