I strongly dislike Python 3

[Steven D'Aprano]

On Sun, 27 Jun 2010 03:38:30 +1000, Lie Ryan wrote:

> On 06/27/10 02:33, Thomas Jollans wrote:
>>> > 
>>> > And here's the disadvantages:
>>> > 
>>> > -The Python 3 syntax actually requires more keystrokes.
>> Typically ONE extra character: the closing bracket. The opening bracket
>> can replace the whitespace previously required.
> 
> What really matters is not the number of extra characters, but the
> number of keystrokes. On a typical keyboard, producing a '(' requires 2
> keystrokes (Shift + 9) and another 2 keystrokes for ')' (Shift + 0).
> Also, spacebar is a key in the home position of the thumb, while 9 and 0
> are on the top row of the weaker fingers (ring and little finger).
> 
> All in all, the new syntax requires 4 keystrokes, none of which are home
> keys; compared with old syntax which requires 1 keystroke in thumb's
> home position.
> 
> Producing print function takes a little bit more effort than producing a
> print statement.


Worrying about this sort of micro-optimisation is hardly a productive use 
of anyone's time. Nobody here is complaining that typing len(x) requires 
three extra keystrokes compared to len x and therefore Python should make 
len a statement. Why should print be any different?


(1) The main use-cases for print are quick (and usually dirty) scripts, 
interactive use, and as a debugging aid. So this change isn't going to 
effect many large code bases, but mostly small scripts that can be fairly 
easily changed by hand.

(2) With all the other function calls in Python code, this is a trivial 
increase in typing effort.

(3) If you really care that much, you can re-map your keyboard to make 
the parentheses require only a single key press. Or use an editor that 
automatically inserts the closing parenthesis.

(4) Despite what the OP says, the ability to overload print is not a 
small feature, it is a major win. My scripts are filled with ugly 
functions pr(), print_() or prnt(), depending on how I was feeling at the 
time, none of which *quite* match the behaviour of the print statement 
correctly. The ability to redefine print in Python 3 is, to me, the 
Killer App for simple scripting:


_print = print
def print(*args, **kwargs):  # Untested
    if "verbosity" not in kwargs:
        kwargs["verbosity"] = VERBOSITY
    if kwargs["verbosity"]:
        del kwargs["verbosity"]
        _print(*args, **kwargs)
        # You want logging too? Add it here.

The ability to make print() understand your script's --verbose flag is, 
in my mind, the most underrated plus for Python 3.



-- 
Steven