Are Python's reserved words reserved in places they dont need tobe?

[Steve Holden]

Delaney, Timothy (Tim) wrote:
> Antoon Pardon wrote:
> 
> 
>>This is just an idea of mine, nothing I expect python to adapt.
>>But just suppose the language allowed for words in bold. A word
>>in bold would be considered a reserved word, a word in non bold
>>would be an identifier.
> 
> 
> Exactly how am I supposed to use my text editor to make words bold? Is
> every text editor supposed to understand a "python format" for code?
> 
> Besides, I don't like bold for keywords (or anything in code) - I like
> my keywords blue (RGB 0, 0, 255). Of course, with a "python format", I
> could make *my* keywords blue. But I can pretty much guarantee that my
> preferred editor will not ever understand "python format".
> 
This would take us back to the days of Algol 60, where keywords could 
either be "stropped" (with single quotes, IIRC) or in some 
implementations underlined. I believe that Flexowriters had an underline 
key that didn't move the carriage, but it's all a long time ago now.

But I guess we could use the dollar sign to indicate keywords without 
requiring too much of people's editors.

$class$ sample1
	$def$ __init__(self, a, b):
		self.a = a
		self.b = b
	$def$ __cmp__(self, other):
		$return$ self.a.__cmp__(other.a)

Don't see *that* catching on, though ...

regards
  Steve
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