PEP 3107 and stronger typing (note: probably a newbie question)

[John Nagle]

Donn Cave wrote:
> I've wondered if programmers might differ a lot in how much they
> dread errors, or how they react to different kinds of errors.
> For example, do you feel a pang of remorse when your program
> dies with a traceback - I mean, what a horrible way to die?
> Do you resent the compiler's reprimands about your code errors,
> or nagging about warnings?  Maybe the language implementation's
> job has as much to do with working around our feelings as anything
> else.

    That's worth thinking about.

    I've worked in big mainframe shops, where an operating system
crash caused everything to suddenly freeze, red lights came on all
over the building, and a klaxon sounded.  I've worked for aerospace
companies, where one speaks of "defects", not "bugs", and there
are people around whose job involves getting in high performance
aircraft and flying with the software written there.  I've worked
with car-sized robot vehicles, ones big enough to injure people.

    This gives one a stronger feeling about wanting to eliminate
software defects early.

				John Nagle