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Python 3: The Evolution of a Programming Language

  • Mar 24, 2009
Major revisions to any programming language are alarming, but Wesley J. Chun believes that Python 3.x brings real improvements to solve long-established problems. He points out some of the more interesting changes that obliterate design flaws and outdated functionality carried across from release to release, promising that you'll find Python 3 to be leaner, meaner, and more powerful than ever before.
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Introduction

Python 3.0 represents an evolution of the language that will not execute most older code written against the 2.x interpreters. This doesn't mean that you won't recognize it any more, or that "major" porting is required to make old code work under 3.x. Believe it or not, the new syntax is quite similar to that of the past. However, when the print statement no longer exists, it's easy to "break" the old code. This article discusses print and other 3.x changes, and we'll shed some light on the "required evolution" that Python must undergo to be better than it used to be. Finally, we present a few migration tools that may help you in your transition to Python 3.x.

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