[Python-Dev] SETL (was: Lukewarm about range literals) (original) (raw)

Guido van Rossum guido@beopen.com
Tue, 29 Aug 2000 07:53:32 -0500

It was way ahead of its time. Still is! Check out its general loop construct, though -- now that's a kitchen sink. Guido mentioned that ABC's Lambert Meertens spent a year's sabbatical at NYU when SETL was in its heyday, and I figure that's where ABC got quantifiers in boolean expressions (if each x in list has p(x); if no x in list has p(x); if some x in list has p(x)). Have always wondered why Python didn't have that too; I ask that every year, but so far Guido has never answered it .

I don't recall you asking me that even once before now. Proof, please?

Anyway, the answer is that I saw diminishing returns from adding more keywords and syntax.

--Guido van Rossum (home page: http://www.pythonlabs.com/~guido/)