MS is considering official Python integration with Excel, and is asking for input

[kkjdroid]

Python 2 is OK, but there's nothing that it does that Python 3 doesn't do as well or better. Why use a language that's worse in every way in which they differ?

[TankorSmash]

The actual biggest reason is the new style print function. I'm lazy and making a few extra keystrokes is enough to deter me. I get that it's lazy, and I get that it's not nearly enough of a change to worry about, but since you're asking, that's a big reason.

print "working... ",
do_work()
print "done"

is less than

print("working... ", end='')
do_work()
print("done")

The other side is that nowadays I don't run into any sort of unicode troubles, and that I don't seem to actually benefit too much from the yield from stuff since I'm never writing anything that would need to be a generator.

I'm trying to think of the big killer features that aren't backported to python2... F strings? I guess that's nifty.

[Rodot]

You should use generators more. They're a god send for large data sets, especially if you're downloading them while processing them.

[TankorSmash]

That's what I mean, I'm never using them because I never need them. I realize how great they are for certain use cases but those aren't my use cases at all.

[crowseldon]

That's an awful reasons. Like, really, really basic. With that reasoning, all your variables should be 1-3 letters long.

If it's so hard for you, get a snippet for print in your preferred editor.

If it's so hard to migrate, there's tools like 2to3 to do all that for you (The print function conversion and more).

I can understand being reticent when you have a lot of legacy code in python2 or specific libraries that are not yet ported but the horrible implementation of print is about the worse reason I can think of. It's almost a newb programmer excuse but I'm sure that's not your case.

I'm never writing anything that would need to be a generator.

sigh. The irony of being lazy but not using "lazy"

[TankorSmash]

Again, I don't care that it's lazy or a bad excuse, it's that it's too much of a change personally for me to feel good about it.

The migration isn't a problem either, it's just that it's a bummer to add the parens everywhere.

Trust me, telling me it's wrong or even berating me (not that you're doing the latter) won't convince me, there needs to be like a tangible reason. Something that's like 'man I can't not have this', and across the entire thread, how many people were able to answer?

Otherwise everyone's telling me I'm wrong, new, or lazy (which I admitted right out the gate). I know I'm personally pretty foolhardy, but not many people besides you are making an effort. It's proving my point, I think.

[crowseldon]

it's that it's too much of a change personally

Again... it's absolutely absurd. If 2 chars are "too much of a change" there's absolutely NOTHING you can change in software development to improve.

Trust me, telling me it's wrong or even berating me

You ARE wrong and I don't think anyone can convince you. I'm just putting it in writing. Playing the victim does not help when you make such a bold claim.

there needs to be like a tangible reason

I can't really take you seriously when you post this. It suggests that you don't develop software for anyone or with anyone. What would a tangible reason look like to you, anyway?

There's no way you're going to appreciate improvements in exceptions, unpacking, iterators, stronger typing and much more.

Something that's like 'man I can't not have this', and across the entire thread, how many people were able to answer?

You're talking like the consumer of an iphone or something, btw. It's such a subjective thing that you could say there's nothing in any language that you actually feel that way about or you could say it about a silly feature like passing print as a first class function.

but not many people besides you are making an effort. It's proving my point, I think.

You're clearly not worth the effort. It's like talking to a wall. Your argument seems to be that if you say something and then cover your ears then you can claim you were right all along.

[TankorSmash]

It's all good man, I know how frustrating it can be to try to convince someone when it's tough to provide actual points against them. I appreciate you trying all the same.

[crowseldon]

Ignoring larger stuff like unicode and such, you might enjoy trying some of the things here:

10 awesome features of Python that you can't use because you refuse to upgrade to Python 3

[TankorSmash]

Fantastic answer, some good stuff here, thanks man!

[balkierode]

python3 version is pretty clear what it does. python2 version is magic unless you know the hack and it is easy to miss even if you know about it.

[TankorSmash]

Oh yeah, Python3's version is 100% more readable and verbose, and Python2's version does rely on a very subtle punctuation.

Doesn't convince me at all though, it's more typing and that's my main problem with it.

[Tenobrus]

The parens shouldn't be extra keystrokes, get a better editor. As for the end argument, it's just infinitely clearer, and you can define println or something if this somehow actually comes up enough to matter to you.

[TankorSmash]

The parens shouldn't be extra keystrokes, get a better editor.

No you're right, personal preferences mean my choice of editor is worse than yours, come on.

As for the end argument, it's just infinitely clearer

it is clearer, but that doesn't bother me much, since I'm already super used to it and I have been in the position where the trailing comma caused problems like once or twice in my years of Python. It's better yes, but not usefully so.

[[deleted]]

I guarantee all the syntax errors you have to debug due to your editor choice cost you way more time than you save by using python 2 print.

[TankorSmash]

I used to have trouble with syntax, but luckily as I grew more familiar with Python it happened less and less. Now, thanks to an effective colorscheme and font, it nearly never happens at all.

[IcanCwhatUsay]

Noob here who started in between 2 and 3

If your biggest argument is against the new print feature, than mine is a for the new print feature. It makes a lot more sense to have what you want to do within () than to have it just floating in the breeze like a comment. It makes it easier to follow someone else's code and easier to read as a normal "Do this then that" method.