Unicode in Python

Tue Apr 22 02:11:56 EDT 2014

On 2014年4月21日 20:57:39 -0700, Rustom Mody wrote:
> As a unicode user (ok wannabe unicode user :D ) Ive written up some
> unicode ideas that have been discussed here in the last couple of weeks:
>> http://blog.languager.org/2014/04/unicoded-python.html

What you are talking about is not handling Unicode with Python, but 
extending the programming language to allow non-English *letters* to be 
used as if they were *symbols*.
That's very problematic, since it assumes that nobody would ever want to 
use non-English letters in an alphanumeric context. You write:
 [quote]
 Now to move ahead!
 We dont[sic] want
 >>> λ = 1
 >>> λ
 1
 We want
 >>> (λx : x+1)(2)
 3
 [end quote]
(Speak for yourself.) But this is a problem. Suppose I want to use a 
Greek word as a variable, as Python allows me to do:
λόγος = "a word"
Or perhaps as the parameter to a function. Take the random.expovariate 
function, which currently takes an argument "lambd" (since lambda is a 
reserved word). I might write instead:
def expovariate(self, λ): ...
After all, λ is an ordinary letter of the (Greek) alphabet, why shouldn't 
it be used in variable names? But if "λx" is syntax for "lambda x", then 
I'm going to get syntax errors:
λόγος = "a word"
=> like: lambda όγος = "a word"
def expovariate(self, λ):
=> like: def expovariate(self, lambda):
both of which are obviously syntax errors.
This is as hostile to Greek-using programmers as deciding that "f" should 
be reserved for functions would be to English-using programmers:
# space between the f and the function name is not needed
fspam(x, y):
 ...
class Thingy:
 f__init__(selF):
 ...
 fmethod(selF, arg):
 return arg + 1
Notice that I can't even write "self" any more, since that gives a syntax 
error. Presumable "if" is okay, as it is a keyword.
Using Unicode *symbols* rather than non-English letters is less of a 
problem, since they aren't valid in identifiers.
More comments to follow later.
-- 
Steven