[Python-ideas] Make all switches keyword-only

[Terry Reedy]

Pablo Torres N. wrote:
> Hello!  This is my first time posting to a python list, so be kind with
> the newbie :-)

You propose to break nearly everyone's code and make writing Python code 
harder  by having your stylistic preference imposed on everyone.  Do you 
consider *that* to be 'kind'?

Before proposing wholesale changes, I kindly suggest that you please 
think about and learn the following Python design and principles:
Python is a consenting-adults language.
Breaking existing code is bad, and should only be done with excellent 
reason.

>>From issue 6372:
> 
> "I propose that all formal parameters that really act as
> options/switches be made keyword-only.  Examples of switches are all
> flags, timeouts, 'verbose' bools, maximums and minimums, etc.

Once you get beyond binary switches, you enter the land of ambiguity and 
endless argument.

> This stresses the difference between needed input for a function and an
> argument that changes/extends the behavior.  Besides, the code would be
> more readable, because instead of having some cryptic function call like
> register('Pablo Torres', 2, 4, 5, False) you would have the prettier
> register('Pablo Torres', hour=2, min=4, sec=5, had_reservation=False).

You are free to write your code like this. Do you? How many 100s or 
1000s of lines?

This style require that one remember the *exact* name of each keyword 
parameter, rather than just the position.  Easier for you, perhaps, but 
not for everyone. It also requires that one accurately type 'name ='. 
More chance for typos.

> The implementation would just require putting a star '*' before all
> options, according to pep 3102.

You are free to write your functions like this. Others are free to 
refuse to use them if you do.

> If needed, I can rewrite this as a PEP."

Please do not.

> Since this would break pretty much all the code out there, I suspect
> that we should come up with a warning mechanism first.  Maybe leave the
> warning there for a couple of releases before making it definitive.

People are already not switching to Python3 because it breaks existing 
code. Others who would like to, cannot, because the 3rd-party libraries 
they need have not been converted. There should not be any more 
wholesale code break changes in Python 3.

> What do you guys think?

You should have posted to python-list something like the following.
subj: Arguments by keyword. "I like this style of calling functions. 
What do you guys think?"

Terry Jan Reedy