[Python-Dev] Backwards Incompatibility

[Guido van Rossum]

> We can have the discussion now, then. In my opinion it is irresponsible
> to knowingly unleash backwards incompatibilities on the world with no
> warning. If people think Python is unstable it will negatively impact
> its growth much more than the delay of some esoteric features. Let me
> put the ball back in your court:

You should be talking, Mr. 8-bit-strings-should-always-be-considered-
Latin-1. ;-)

> Is the benefit provided by having nested scopes this year rather than
> next year worth the pain of howls of outrage in Python-land. If we give
> people a year to upgrade (with warning messages) they will (rightly)
> grumble but not scream.

But people *do* have a year's warning.  Most people probably wait that
much before they upgrade.  (Half jokingly, half annoyed. :-)

--Guido van Rossum (home page: http://www.python.org/~guido/)