Python as Guido Intended

[Ben Sizer]

Delaney, Timothy (Tim) wrote:
> It is without a doubt though incumbent on anyone proposing new
> *features* to have a solid understanding of what they are proposing,
> what it would affect, any backwards incompatibilities, and whether it
> fits into the python philosophy (import this).

Sure. However, I wasn't just thinking about feature suggestions, but
about times when people are asking about the best algorithm to use or
why Python doesn't have something they used to rely upon in another
language.

> And this is the crux of it - the majority of such proposals come from
> people who apparently haven't actually used python that much, and are
> trying to impose things from other languages onto it.

The problem you get, is that the only people who are ever likely to
need to ask questions, are those who don't fully understand Python, by
definition. Often the answer they get is unintuitive to anyone not
familiar with Python, but occasionally you are additionally treated as
if you should have known and that thinking otherwise is a bit stupid,
which is a bit unfair.

In some cases, the question is quite valid, but the Python community
has ossified around their own particular approach, which is not
necessarily optimal but seems to be enough for all concerned. (eg. the
proliferation of web frameworks that holds Python back as a platform in
that area.)

-- 
Ben Sizer