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Python 3: The Evolution of a Programming Language

By Wesley Chun
Mar 24, 2009

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Wesley Chun

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Python's "New" Division: Python 2 Versus Python 3: Jan 21, 2010
The Three Python Tenors Sing "Threads" and "State of Mind": Jul 29, 2009
Python 3: The Evolution of a Programming Language: Mar 24, 2009
Django for the Impatient: Building a Blog: Nov 25, 2008
Getting Started with Python: Jan 26, 2007

Python Fundamentals (Video Training): Dec 23, 2008
Python Web Development with Django: Oct 24, 2008
Python Web Development with Django, Adobe Reader: Oct 23, 2008
Core Python Programming, 2nd Edition: Sep 18, 2006
Core Python Programming, Portable Documents, 2nd Edition: Sep 18, 2006

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From the author of
Core Python Programming, 2nd Edition

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 He points out some of the more interesting changes that obliterate design flaws and outdated functionality carried across from release to release, promising that you'll find Python 3 to be leaner, meaner, and more powerful than ever before.

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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