Python 2.4: Why only assignments to None are forbiden?

[Dan Bishop]

Ian Bicking <ianb at colorstudy.com> wrote in message news:<mailman.6320.1100296338.5135.python-list at python.org>...
> Josef Meile wrote:
> > Hi,
> > 
> > Textually from the highlights of python 2.4:
> > 
> > "Assigning to None - the compiler now treats assigning to None as a 
> > SyntaxError."
> > 
> > I think in general assignments to built-in types, functions, and 
> > variables should be also forbiden. It's a common mistake to do things 
> > like this:
> > 
> >  >>> def getFileName(file):
> > ...   parts=file.split('/')
> > ...   return parts('/')[-1]
> > 
> > Specially if you come from python 2.1.x where "file" didn't exist. 
> > Instead, there was "open"
> 
> Well, it's not really a mistake, because it works just fine and causes 
> no problems.  I use builtin names often, as they are annoyingly very 
> convenient local variables.  I try not to, but it still happens 
> (especially file, though I make sure to distinguish between files and 
> filenames).

I have the same problem.

Perhaps it would have better if "file" were named "File" instead.