seeking deeper (language theory) reason behind Python design choice

[Steven D'Aprano]

On Mon, 14 May 2018 21:24:01 -0400, Dennis Lee Bieber wrote:


> 	The problem with adding the feature is that it will start to be
> used by
> newbies who lack the discipline to use it reliably: ensuring that
> comparisons are coded with constants (which for Python really means
> literals) on the left-hand side, so that a type of "=" for "==" will be
> flagged and not transparently pass.


Using = alone is absolutely not on the table.

The current two leading contenders, both controversial, are:

    name := expression

    name given name = expression


The second is being sponsored, backed, supported and subsidised by the 
Department of Repeated Redundancy and Repetitiveness.

(And before you ask, unfortunately "expression as name" has been ruled 
out because it is ambiguous with other uses of "as".


-- 
Steve