PEP 285: Adding a bool type

[Terry Reedy]

"Erik Max Francis" <max at alcyone.com> wrote in message
news:3CA75F2F.198772EB at alcyone.com...
> Aahz wrote:
>
> > But what do you think of changing bool() to truth()?
>
> In the new type unification scheme, bool seems a much better name
than
> truth.

Yesterday, I gave four reasons for prefering 'truth' (or something
else) to bool.   Please consider them.  Already, my prediction in
point D is being borne out in some subsequent posts by some.
Something about the word 'bool(ean)' sets off something in some
people's brain that makes them want cripple a formalized Python truth
type by prohibiting currently valid and useful behavior.  I find this
as offensive both to the spirit of Python and my programming freedom
as the suggestion that sequence*int should be deprecated and then
prohibited because it violates some standard of 'proper' sequence
behavior.  Rather than have to put up with and have to argue against
such suggestions for the rest of my life, I would rather switch to a
different term that does not carry with it the baggage that 'bool' so
obviously does.

Terry J. Reedy