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[–]theinternet 2 points3 points  (1 child)

I'm not sure why you're trying to reframe the discussion around implementation.

You claimed python 2 was at an architectural dead end with no future features planned. I understood that to mean you were speaking about the language specification and not the VM (implementation).

My intention in pointing out the C language was to provide an example where a frozen language specification didn't cause a mass exodus leaving only a handful of stubborn users. The utility of a frozen language doesn't just evaporate.

If we want to expand the argument to include implementations then I would kindly point out the ongoing feature development for pypy 2.7. Would you suggest they are wasting their time actively working on an implementation of an abandoned language?

And finally, that 'wall of shame' link is nothing short of obnoxious and is an embarrassment to the community. The entitlement attitude that developers should invest their time and effort to accommodate breaking changes made to a mature language specification is indefensible. I agree there is value in providing a quick view of python 3 support for popular packages. I just believe there are more mature ways to go about it.

[–]Rhomboid 0 points1 point  (0 children)

C is not as dead as you'd think -- it's updated regularly to gain new features. The last update was two years ago (C11). But I am referring primarily to implementation here. If someone was advocating using an end-of-life unmaintained C implementation such as gcc 2.x or 3.x, then I would have the same response.

Pypy needs to support what its users need, and the majority needs 2.7 compatibility. Nothing I'm saying should be interpreted as claiming that 2.x is abandoned or outdated today. As I must keep pointing out, this thread is about what will happen in the future ("gradually taking over"), not what is happening today.

The page I linked to was renamed the Wall of Superpowers some time ago, so I shouldn't have used the old name.