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Python Language Founder Steps Down (zdnet.com)
After almost 30 years of overseeing the development of the world's most popular language, Python, its founder and "Benevolent Dictator For Life" (BDFL), Guido van Rossum, has decided to remove himself entirely from the decision process. From a report: Van Rossum isn't leaving Python entirely. He said, "I'll still be there for a while as an ordinary core dev, and I'll still be available to mentor people -- possibly more available." It's clear from van Rossum's note he's sick and tired of running the organization. He wrote, "I don't ever want to have to fight so hard for a PEP (Python Enhancement Proposals) [PEP 572 Assignment Expressions] and find that so many people despise my decisions." In addition, van Rossum hints he's not been well. "I'm not getting younger... (I'll spare you the list of medical issues.)" So, "I'm basically giving myself a permanent vacation from being BDFL, and you all will be on your own." From the email: I am not going to appoint a successor. So what are you all going to do? Create a democracy? Anarchy? A dictatorship? A federation? I'm not worried about the day to day decisions in the issue tracker or on GitHub. Very rarely I get asked for an opinion, and usually it's not actually important. So this can just be dealt with as it has always been. At Slashdot, we had the privilege of interviewing Guido van Rossum, a Computer History Museum honoree, in 2013.
"Guido van Rossum, has decided he would like to remove myself entirely from the decision process"
Definitely sounds like a dictator! Or a poor editor! Or both!
This Space Intentionally Left Blank
Meanwhile in Perl land, the founders have tried to step down multiple times, but nobody could read their resignation letters.
How is the Riemann zeta function like Trump rallies? Both have an endless number of trivial zeros.
Stepping down is no good, to truly be out of the loop you have to un-indent.
Nullius in verba
TrouserSnake Improovmet Proposal #0001: Because of the confusion caused by the inconsistent use and display rendering of White space Tabs versus spaces, the proposed change is to use backspaces to denote block clauses. A further extension of this proposal is to center justify all lines of text. This will end the discrimination of the left justification hegemony that disenfranchises cultures the practice Left justification. Center justification is fair and "just".
Some drink at the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle.
I've taken over Python from Guido. My first edict will be to require that only tabs be used for whitespace. This will save valuable disk space. No complaints allowed. I am also assigning APK as my vice-dictator.
This is great! I thought being a founder of something was an indelible historical event, but apparently, you can step down from being a founder! I'm going to go found some evil groups right away...once I step down, I won't be a founder any more, so I will be absolved forever. Awesome!
Cloudiot: A person who does not see offsite storage as a way to lose control over access to his or her own data.
/. missed a trick in quoting the FA thus:
"I don't ever want to have to fight so hard for a PEP ... and find that so many people despise (sic) (sic) my decisions."
Don't hire me. I've seen your sig.