Annoying octal notation

[Derek Martin]

On Mon, Aug 24, 2009 at 08:31:13AM -0700, Carl Banks wrote:
> On Aug 24, 6:56 am, Derek Martin <c... at pizzashack.org> wrote:
> > I think hard-coding dates is more uncommon than using octal. ;-)
> > [It unquestionably is, for me personally.]
> 
> You just don't get it, do you?  

I think I get it just fine, thanks.

> Do you really think this is a contest over what's more common and
> the winner gets to choose the syntax?  You really think that's the
> issue?

No, I think it's about egos.  Someone got the idea that 0o1 was better
than 01, and had to be Right.  And had the power to make it happen, or
at least (sadly) convince the people with the power.

I'm simply presenting an argument that the need for the change is not so
clear.  You say the old syntax is retarded.  I say the new syntax, and
the very act of making the change itself is retarded.  I think my
argument is very solid and persuasive; but of course some minds are
invulnerable to persuasion.  I might not even disagree that the old
syntax could be improved upon, except that it already is what it is,
and the new syntax is NOT better; I personally believe it's not only
not better, but that it's actually worse.  Others have agreed.

> It is not.  The issue is that C's arcane octal notation is MIND-
> BOGGLINGLY RETARDED.

As I said, I searched the web on this topic before I bothered to post.
I did a bit of research.  One of the things that my search turned up:
A lot of smart people disagree with you.  If the use of the leading
zero boggles your mind, then perhaps your mind is too easily boggled,
and perhaps you should seek a different way to occupy your time.

This is yet another case where some Pythonista has gotten it in his
head that "There is One Truth, and the Old Way be Damned, my way is
The Way, and Thus Shall It Be Evermore."  And worse yet, managed to
convince others.  Well, there's no such thing as One Truth, and there
are different perspectives that are just as valid as yours.  I'm
expressing one now.  This change sucks.  I already know that my rant
won't change the syntax.  The only reason I bothered to post is
because I do actually quite like Python -- something I can say of only
one other programming language -- and I think the powers that be are
(in some cases) making it worse, not better.  I hoped to open a few
minds with a different perspective, but of course I should have known
better.

0o1 is not better than 01. On my terminal it's hard to see the
difference between 0 and o.  YMMV.  But since YMMV, and since the old
syntax is prevalent both within and without the Python community,
making the change is, was, and always will be a bad idea.

-- 
Derek D. Martin
http://www.pizzashack.org/
GPG Key ID: 0x81CFE75D

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