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[Python-Dev] Replacement for print in Python 3.0

Raymond Hettinger raymond.hettinger at verizon.net
Sun Sep 4 19:34:26 CEST 2005 
[Barry]
> Actually, we probably only /need/ printf(), and certainly for C
> programmers (are there any of us left? ;), I think that would be a
small
> conceptual leap.  The motivation for keeping a non-formatting version
is
> for simple cases, and beginners -- both of which use cases should not
be
> dismissed.

+1 on Barry's proposal for two functions, one formatted and one plain.

However, I take issue with the premise that beginners do not need
formatting.  Almost anyone, beginner or not, needs formatting when they
are working on a real application.  My experience is that finance people
immediately try to format their output (habits from Excel).  Most are
astonished at how non-trivial it is to add commas, dollar signs,
brackets, and a fixed number of decimal places.  So, I think beginners
should be considered a key constituent for output formatting and that
their needs should be accommodated as simply and broadly as possible.


Raymond
Finance Guy
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