[Zope] VNU Net: Python 3000 not backwards compatible, warns creator

[Daryl Tester]

Yong Heng Teo wrote:

> I have learning Zope for 6 months and have been
> following the mailling list. I come across the
> following news :
> 
> Python 3000 will not be backwards compatible.
> 
> Question :
> How will it affects Zope ?

Not a lot if Zope continues to use Python 1.[5, 6, 7].

<opinion type="personal">

People are making a bigger deal out of this than it needs to be.
I admire Guido for taking a stance and fixing the problems he
perceives in his language;  I've had to support "backwards
compatability" issues in a commercial interpretive language
before, and "It Sucks(TM)".

> But how incompatible it will be is a very big open
> question and I don't have a concrete answer,' he
> said." "

Here he is being honest, stating that there will be change, but
not knowing the extent, and people are carrying on like it will
be the end of Python as we know it (or to use an Australian term,
"carrying on like pork chops").  When Python 3000 comes out, it
will not render all the Python versions before it automagically
obsolete; people will still be free to use whatever version they
most feel comfortable with (heck, I came across a site the other
day still running 1.3, and quite happy with it - it runs their
_current_ applications fine).  If there is a large enough groundswell,
there is nothing stopping other people from maintaining the "1.7"
version, but I personally can't see that happening (unless Guido
goes mad and puts braces in to denote blocks :-).

It's an Open Source language - you actually have options.

</opinion>


Regards,
  Daryl "needs more sleep" Tester