Booleans, integer division, backwards compatibility; where is Python going?

[phil hunt]

Recently on this newsgroup there's been a discussion about adding a 
bool datatype to Python; and Guido has decided to do this.

Some time ago, there was a rather contentious discussion about 
changing the semantics of the / operator. To be precise, what should 
it do when the arguments are integers: should 1/2 be 0 or 0.5?

In both cases, there are good arguments in favour of the change. 
(Though having said that, in both cases Python has done perfectly 
well for years without it). The problem with making these changes is 
that they can cause currently-working Python code to fail on new 
versions of the language.

Another problem is that when a language is constantly changing, it 
becomes necessary to constantly relearn it. Python has changed a lot 
in the last few years, for example new operators such as +=, and 
allowing users to subclass from builtin types, are big (and useful) 
changes. Python 1.5.1 was an immature language that could benefit 
from changing.

But is this changing going to be continual? Are the language 
developers constantly going to tinker with the language, out of a 
sense of fun? (Not that having fun is bad, it's just that I don't 
want to code against a continually moving target).

Is there a final destination in sight, which these changes are 
leading to?

(Note that I am not against changes to the standard library as 
opposed to the language itself; nor do I have problems with changes 
that do not break existing code).

-- 
<"><"><"> Philip Hunt <philh at comuno.freeserve.co.uk> <"><"><">
"I would guess that he really believes whatever is politically 
advantageous for him to believe." 
                        -- Alison Brooks, referring to Michael
                              Portillo, on soc.history.what-if