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

MRAB python at mrabarnett.plus.com
Sat Oct 3 21:09:38 CEST 2009

Antoine Pitrou wrote:

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. Fair enough.

The purpose of the post was really just so that we cover as many possibilities as we can so that if at some time in the future someone asks why we didn't consider such-and-such then we won't be saying "Oh, never thought of that!". :-)

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

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