PEP 308: Helping Aahz to set up the ballot.

[Chermside, Michael]

On python-dev, we have the following exchange:

Guido:
> Aahz, is it time to start collecting the votes yet?

Aahz:
> Maybe, but I've been too sick of the discussion to read it for the past
> three days, and I'm leaving today for the fifth anniversary of my outlaw
> wedding.  I'll be back Friday.

So Aahz is going to give us a couple of days to stew and think
things over now that the active 308 discussion is beginning to
die down, before he starts the vote.

Meanwhile, Erik provides us with the following list (GREAT WORK!)
Note that I have re-numbered to give each proposal a unique number:

> I.  Proposals mentioned in the PEP at some point
> 
> 11.  x if C else y
> 12.  if C then x else y
> 13.  if C: x else: y
> 14.  C ? x : y
> 15.  C ? x ! y
> 16.  cond(C, x, y)                       (*)
> 17.  C ?? x || y
> 18.  C then x else y
> 
> II.  Proposals which were "seconded"
> 
> 21.  x when C else y
> 22.  C ? x else y
> 23.  C -> x else y
> 24.  C -> (x, y)
> 25.  [x if C else y]
> 26.  ifelse C: x else y                  (**)
> 27.  <if C then x else y>
> 28.  C and x else y
> 
> III.  Proposals but were not "seconded"
> 
> 31.  x @ C or else y
> 32.  C if? x else y
> 33.  y or x if C
> 34.  |x if C else y|
> 35.  when C then x otherwise y
> 36.  C ? (x, y)
> 37.  C -> x -> y
> 38.  C then: x else: y
> 39.  C ? x, y
> 40. (? C: x, y ?)
> 
> Footnotes:
> 
> * This `cond' is a special form, not simply a builtin function, which
> lazily evaluates its last two arguments (depending on the value of the
> first, which _is_ evaluated).  There were also variations on the name of
> the special form itself.
> 
> ** Several alternative names for the starting keyword `ifelse',
> including `select', `when', and `case'.


When Aahz gets back he's going to have to conduct some kind of a
vote, and the above is obviously WAY too many options. So I am
volunteering to help Aahz out by making it easier for him to tell
what are the "important" syntaxes which belong on the ballot. I
will collect "seconds" -- just write to me letting me know which
of the syntaxes you believe are important enough that they belong
"on the ballot". I'll keep a count and let Aahz know the results.

Note... this is NOT the "real" vote. There's no sense "stuffing the
ballot box"... I don't even know if Aahz will pay any attention to
the results. But it seemed like he might find this helpful if I
summarize it all for him. So if you're not sure, don't care, object 
to all proposals, or are getting sick of this, just ignore this; the 
real vote will come later.

If you DO want to chime in, email me at the following address:

      michael.chermside at verizon.net

and include the text "PEP 308" in your subject line. In the body
of your message, simply list the numbers (from the list above) to
indicate which of the proposals off Erik's list you believe ought
to be on the ballot. For instance you might simply write "11,14"
to indicate that Guido's original proposal and C-syntax are the
only forms you think we should consider. You may also add any 
additional comments you like. Results will be sent to Aahz this 
weekend, or whenever he requests them.

okay-now-I-better-go-ask-for-an-increase-in-my-mailbox-diskspace lly,

-- Michael Chermside