[Python-Dev] Proposal: from __future__ import unicode_string_literals

[Lennart Regebro]

On Sun, Mar 23, 2008 at 10:45 PM, "Martin v. Löwis" <martin at v.loewis.de> wrote:
> > So the question is rather: Do you want to disk a community split, or
>  > add forwards compatibility?
>
>  I don't think the risk is big. As far as people start saying "I will
>  only support Python 3", or saying "I will not support Python 3" - that's
>  fine.

No, it isn't. That's the whole thing. It isn't fine.

>  In the latter case, people relying on the library either have to stay
>  with 2.x until all their dependencies get ported, or they will have
>  to contribute 3.x ports themselves to the developers.

You are still only seeing this as a case of libraries with a small
number of people developing them and making regular well defined
releases. That is not how the world I am talking about looks. I
repeat: I have no doubt the 2to3 approach works well in that case, if
you want to support both 2.6 and 3.0.

>  So in short: no, the risk that the community splits is very small.

No, it is a significant risk. Don't brush it away. We do NOT end up
having a 2.x python world and a 3.x python world. The  community
doesn't have the resources to maintain momentum in a language if the
energy is divided in half.

-- 
Lennart Regebro: Zope and Plone consulting.
http://www.colliberty.com/
+33 661 58 14 64