Python needs better error reporting

[John Baxter]

In article <mailman.1025350057.14486.python-list at python.org>,
 Tim Peters <tim.one at comcast.net> wrote:

> I once used a
> Pascal compiler whose favorite trick was to point a caret at a trailing
> semicolon, and then complain "semicolon expected"; the message was always
> correct when it appeared, while appearing dead wrong, and was useless in
> determining the *real* problem regardless.  It did appear friendlier than
> "syntax error" the first 719 times I saw it, though <wink>.

So did I, which makes me think it was probably USCD Pascal or a relative.

I used a C compiler which said things like
"A typedef was a complete surprise to me at this point in your program"

Sometimes, it even meant it.

  --John