[Python-Dev] summary of transitioning from % to {} formatting (original) (raw)

Antoine Pitrou solipsis at pitrou.net
Sat Oct 3 19:50:20 CEST 2009

MRAB <python mrabarnett.plus.com> writes:

Another possibility: A StringFormat class with subclasses PercentStringFormat, BraceStringFormat, and perhaps DollarStringFormat. Or: A StringFormat class with methods parsepercentformat, parsebraceformat, and parsedollarformat. There could also be a format-guesser method.

I'm sorry to say this, but I think these suggestions are getting foolish. We core developers might have an interest in transitioning users from one formatting style to another, but the users mostly don't care and don't want to bother. Imposing on users the explicit use of such wrapper classes, moreover with such awfully long-winded names, is not helpful to them at all, and it will earn Python the reputation of a language which imposes silly constructs in the name of purity.

If we can't find a way to make things almost transparent, we should IMO abandon the whole idea of a transition.

Regards

Antoine.

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