[Python-3000] Support for PEP 3131 (original) (raw)

Jason Orendorff jason.orendorff at gmail.com
Sun May 13 15:39:22 CEST 2007

On 5/13/07, Talin <talin at acm.org> wrote:

The fact that programming languages resemble a particular human language is a pedagogical convenience, but it need not be so, and wasn't always that way.

"Crucial usability feature", not "pedagogical convenience".

Choosing good names for things is an important skill in all modern programming languages. It always involves a natural language, and great skill in that natural language pays off.

Look--this whole discussion has lacked perspective. Non-ASCII identifiers are not going to cause confusion or "split the community even more". Java and XML have not suffered. People writing code for open distribution will stick to ASCII in practice. There is no problem.

But for the same reason, the benefit isn't all that great either.

Python should allow foreign-language identifiers because (1) it's a gesture of good will to people everywhere who don't speak English fluently; (2) some students will benefit; (3) some people writing code that no one else will ever see will benefit.

Non-English-language tutorials might also benefit. (?)

I think the gesture alone is worth it, even if no one ever used the feature productively. But people will. The cost to python-dev is low, and the cost to English-speaking users is very likely zero.

What am I missing?

-j

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