Why has python3 been created as a seperate language where there is still python2.7 ?

[Stefan Behnel]

Jeremiah Dodds, 26.06.2012 07:04:
> rantingrickjohnson at gmail.com writes:
> 
>> On Monday, June 25, 2012 5:10:47 AM UTC-5, Michiel Overtoom wrote:
>>> It has not. Python2 and Python3 are very similar. It's not like if
>>> you learn Python using version 2, you have to relearn the language
>>> when you want to switch Python3.  The syntax is the same, only
>>> 'print' is a function instead of a statement.
>>
>> However, there is something to be said for "old habits die hard". I myself
>> lament every time i must type->(, then blah, then->) AGAIN!. My fingers are
>> hardwired for the old print statement. Damned that Guido and his mind games!
>>
>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ny42Mdg5qo
> 
> I'm of the opinion that the solution to this involves configuring your editor.

But wasn't the whole idea behind Python to be accessible for innocent
users? Isn't the one and only acceptable goal of a language cleanup that
those who do not have the expert knowledge to configure the editor of their
choice should finally be able to wholeheartedly type down their Pythonish
code without having the parser allude them to the one holy way from time to
time? It clearly cannot have achieved that goal, given the amount of
traffic on this list, can it?

Maybe we should add a remote error reporting mode to Python that sends all
syntax error messages not only to the local screen but also directly to the
PSF so that they can fund developers who are able to delete that error
message from the interpreter based on real world statistical evidence. That
would eventually make the language match the powerset of what all users
have in their fingers. A very worthy goal, if you ask me.

Stefan