Abstract

The BDFL, having shepherded Python development for 20 years, officially announces his retirement, effective immediately. Following a unanimous vote, his replacement is named.

Rationale

Guido wrote the original implementation of Python in 1989, and after nearly 20 years of leading the community, has decided to step aside as its Benevolent Dictator For Life. His official title is now Benevolent Dictator Emeritus Vacationing Indefinitely from the Language (BDEVIL). Guido leaves Python in the good hands of its new leader and its vibrant community, in order to train for his lifelong dream of climbing Mount Everest.

After unanimous vote of the Python Steering Union (not to be confused with the Python Secret Underground, which emphatically does not exist) at the 2009 Python Conference (PyCon 2009), Guido’s successor has been chosen: Barry Warsaw, or as he is affectionately known, Uncle Barry. Uncle Barry’s official title is Friendly Language Uncle For Life (FLUFL).

Official Acts of the FLUFL

FLUFL Uncle Barry enacts the following decisions, in order to demonstrate his intention to lead the community in the same responsible and open manner as his predecessor, whose name escapes him:

• Recognized that the selection of Hg as the DVCS of choice was clear proof of the onset of the BDEVIL’s insanity, and reverting this decision to switch to Bzr instead, the only true choice.
• Recognized that the != inequality operator in Python 3.0 was a horrible, finger pain inducing mistake, the FLUFL reinstates the <> diamond operator as the sole spelling. This change is important enough to be implemented for, and released in Python 3.1. To help transition to this feature, a new future statement, from __future__ import barry_as_FLUFL has been added.
• Recognized that the print function in Python 3.0 was a horrible, pain-inducing mistake, the FLUFL reinstates the print statement. This change is important enough to be implemented for, and released in Python 3.0.2.
• Recognized that the disappointing adoption curve of Python 3.0 signals its abject failure, all work on Python 3.1 and subsequent Python 3.x versions is hereby terminated. All features in Python 3.0 shall be back ported to Python 2.7 which will be the official and sole next release. The Python 3.0 string and bytes types will be back ported to Python 2.6.2 for the convenience of developers.
• Recognized that C is a 20th-century language with almost universal rejection by programmers under the age of 30, the CPython implementation will terminate with the release of Python 2.6.2 and 3.0.2. Thereafter, the reference implementation of Python will target the Parrot [1] virtual machine. Alternative implementations of Python (e.g. Jython [2], IronPython [3], and PyPy [4]) are officially discouraged but tolerated.
• Recognized that the Python Software Foundation [5] having fulfilled its mission admirably, is hereby disbanded. The Python Steering Union [6] (not to be confused with the Python Secret Underground, which emphatically does not exist), is now the sole steward for all of Python’s intellectual property. All PSF funds are hereby transferred to the PSU (not that PSU, the other PSU).

References

[1]

http://www.parrot.org

[2]

http://www.jython.org

[3]

http://www.ironpython.com

[4]

http://www.codespeak.net/pypy

[5]

http://www.python.org/psf

[6]

http://www.pythonlabs.com

Copyright

This document is the property of the Python Steering Union (not to be confused with the Python Secret Underground, which emphatically does not exist). We suppose it’s okay for you to read this, but don’t even think about quoting, copying, modifying, or distributing it.