Python 3 is killing Python

[Rick Johnson]

On Wednesday, May 28, 2014 7:41:53 PM UTC-5, Terry Reedy wrote:
> Claim: "Python 3 languishes in disuse."
> Fact: in 2013, there were around 14 million downloads of
> windows installers for each of 2.7.x and 3.3.x. 3.3 is
> over twice as popular as 3.2 (to be expected).

Terry, you cannot simply take the download numbers as a
"one-to-one" ratio representing the "actual" usage of
anything. 

Consider:

    * HOW MANY DOWNLOADED AND NEVER USED?    
    
Might be difficult to believe, but i am one of those people.
Even though i don't "actively" write code for Python3, i
still keep a current version on my machine just in case i
need to test a code snippet for a NOOB -- i don't remember
the last time i even ran Python 3, must have been a year or
more!

    * HOW MANY DOWNLOADED, TRIED, CURSED, AND NEVER USED
      AGAIN?
    
    * HOW MANY DOWNLOADED, TRIED, CURSED, AND ONLY USE
      BECAUSE THEY ARE FORCED?
      
    * HOW MANY DOWNLOADED, TRIED, WERE "AMUSED", BUT NOT
      ENOUGH TO ACTUALLY WRITE 3.X CODE?
    
    * HOW MANY DOWNLOADED, TRIED, LIKED, AND ARE "ACTIVELY"
      WRITING 3.X CODE?
    
I would venture to say that at least half the downloads fall
into the first three categories, and the other half are split
between the last two categories -- equally split, WHO KNOWS!

Sheesh! Metrics measured on download statistics are about as
reliable as that ridiculous TIOBE drivel, hey, watching
Python climb the index might give GvR a raging semi, but
only a moron would take it for truth!

    PIPING HOT CUP OF WISHFUL THINKING ANYONE?