I basically just filed an issue for what people in this thread were saying

Cpython maintainers has abandoned python 2 and the community. I don't see an issue with this name.

Maybe python 3 should change its name, as distriburions are planing to ship python3 as python, breaking good python code assuming that python executable can run python code.

I’m sorry you feel that way, but what you say is not, in fact, the truth. Python 3 is just the next version of the language, announced ~10 years ago. All the time, it was clear Python 2 was going to be deprecated and discontinued eventually, just like Python 1, Java 4, and Lua 5.2.

People had 8 years to make their unit tests run with Python 3. I don’t know what led to the misconception that Python 2 was going to stick around unlike every deprecated version of any language or software ever.

There was no abandonment of any community, just a bunch of people deciding to defer eliminating technical debt while rationalizing that decision by forming a weird emotional attachment to some programming language’s old version.

At least this line should be at the first line: This is not an official Python release; see PEP 404, not in the bottom

By the way: If this project gets people to port more easily then I’m all for it!

But the PSF owns the name Python, so unless they decide to adopt this project (which very likely won’t happen because of PEP 404), this project can’t keep its name.

Firstly, thanks for taking on the task of creating a hybrid superset of Python 2 that incorporates features you find interesting! Allowing folks to vote with their time and energy and create the projects and remixes that they wish existed is exactly the kind of thing that open source licensing is designed to allow.

However, as others have noted above, the PSF does have various policies specifically around the use of the Python mark, and the Trademarks Committee are reviewing the question of whether or not the current name of the project is appropriate in that light.

There's precedent for Python subsets and variants using the term as part of a longer name (e.g. MicroPython, Stackless Python), so something like "HybridPython" would be more likely to pass muster than an unqualified "Python".

Alternatively, a name like NorwegianBlue would reference Guido's original inspiration for the name of the language, while completely steering clear of any possible trademark concerns.

I'm really happy to see a project like this gain a little traction, and I truly hope it succeeds as I'm certainly not the first or hundredth person to think something like it might be a good idea.

For that reason, and since currently it looks like @naftaliharris is the only developer, spending the limited energy available on an unwinnable trademark issue probably would not be wise.

+1 for changing the project name to something distinct, but it would also be great if the installed binaries and libraries maintained the same interface as official Python, since I think renames there would impact the project's usefulness.

it would also be great if the installed binaries and libraries maintained the same interface as official Python

sure, just not $prefix/bin/python2.8

Since I was asked: The project's name (and its binary name) need to change. They are misleading. The rest looks acceptable according to Python's license. This is not an endorsement (far from it).

Please also change the name of any helper scripts, the name of the shared library/DLL and the include directory. The name of the header file Python.h can probably stay since it's part of the public API.

• /usr/bin/python
• /usr/bin/python2.8
• /usr/bin/python-config
• /usr/bin/python2.8-config
• /usr/lib/libpython*
• /usr/include/python2.8

I'll write a Gentoo ebuild for this package, as soon as you settle on a new name for it.

If you're going to change the project's name, let me suggest some short, Monty Python-themed options.

• Pythonesque (/usr/bin/pesque)
• Reunion
• Cleese
• Brian
• Wanda
• Nudge
• Rabbit
• Brazil

How about "py2", taking a hint from "pypy"?

"py28"?

Why also freeze the minor version? It's perfectly possible that a 2.9.x will be released at some point.

"p"

Sadly, P is taken: http://esolangs.org/wiki/P .

Looks abandoned, site is down and everything.

Since both 2 and 3 features are handled you might consider six (I'm aware that's also the name of a compatibility package).

I don't mind renaming this project. Any other suggestions for good names? I personally like "Pythonesque (/usr/bin/pesque)" the best so far, thanks @dbohdan! :-)

@VanL, not that I'm necessarily picking that, but would a name like that be acceptable?

Brydge? Since it's"between" 2 and 3...

Ok, I'll leave now.

Change the name for snake 🐍 !

Maybe nython for "nython is not official python"? or for "Naftali's Python"?

"snek", please name it "snek"!!!!

Still Monty Python inspired: pysant, pronounced "peasant"? (Or present you choose).

A what?
A present!
A what???
A present!
A what???
Un cadeau !
Ahhhh, "a present"!

I like @teles name-of-a-snake idea. What about

• kraithon

, blending krait and python (krait, family of snakes, rhymes with "kite")?

Just remove the h - Pyton or call it Flying Circus.

Pyton

Heh. I actually mess this up so often that I alias this on my machine to "python": https://github.com/naftaliharris/dotfiles/blob/master/.bashrc#L151

As I think about it, Monty would be a cool name...

As it's Python 2, how about DuoPython?

A placeholder between Python 2 and Python 3 is nice for me. Just have no clue that it is a Python-related thing.

plyceholder ?

As to fake news and false accusations: All of that I see is people coming here to make some kind of trouble or discouraging remark about someone trying to keep 2.x alive. What motivates them is irrelevant, conspiracy or not. But, as much as I'd like to see 2.x keep going, I largely do not care. Why? Because the 2/3 debacle has caused me no small amount of trouble. As such, I've ruled the language out as a whole for anything but small scripts going forward and... I'm not the only one to do so.

I'm going to humbly suggest that @naftaliharris lock this issue, because at this point it's mostly people suggesting random names (too many to search through) or people yelling "omg python three suxx" or "omg dis project is stuupidz" or other random crap...

someone trying to keep 2.x alive

The Python release team keeps 2.x alive. They do that for 16 years. Nobody was able to beat them at that so far. Only 2.7.x series is kept alive for 6 years, with current release being 2.7.13.

I'm not the only one to do so.

You aren't. But everyone else either keeps using 2.x or have switched to 3.x over last 9 years. (Supporting both ain't rocket science either, though with Python3 being available for long time everywhere, there's little point to do so for new projects.) And there's hard to talk about discouragement of projects like this - Python community has always been, and always will be prolific - it's not like other languages, where there's barely a couple of implementations. Stackless Python, Unladen Swallow, Nuitka, PyPy, Pyston, Grumpy, and many of others, including bunch to come. It's just matter of fact that some of these implementations are used less than others, and some even get abandoned.

Name proposal: February Python (as it is between 27 and 30 having only 28 or 29 days)

Variations: pyfebruary, Eternal February (eterfeb), Fybruar, February Edition

But placholder is nice as it is.

Disclaimer: I do not have horses in this race.

My favorites so far --

nipy : Ni Python (from @senyai )
zython : The last py you'll need (from @paul-nechifor )
pystasis, pyfrost : good indication of support for fixes with no breaking changes (from @ncoghlan )
monty : great one for obvious reasons. maybe the student project would be cool with it (from @ojn )
pyclassic : reminiscent of when coca-cola fixed their mistake.

I kinda like the name Placeholder.

As for the binaries, they can be e.g. prefixed with p: /usr/local/bin/ppython

Ex-Ex-Parrot (/usr/bin/xxp)?

As @ncoghlan mentioned, asciipy describes the project nicely. PSF would probably also allow asciiPython name since it's clear that it is a different python implementation.

bython as in, Backported Python?

Nothing with py- or alluring to python, to avoid confusion.

When you decide on a name, this should help you find the places that need to be edited: https://github.com/stefantalpalaru/gentoo-overlay/blob/master/dev-lang/py28/files/py28-rename.patch

Some "python2.8" symlinks are needed so existing autotools setups work unmodified, but that's more of a distro packager issue. On Gentoo I'm getting away with only:

/usr/lib64/python2.8
/usr/lib64/libpython2.8.a
/usr/lib64/libpython2.8.so

later edit: Gentoo package renamed; the mentioned patch is now at https://github.com/stefantalpalaru/gentoo-overlay/blob/master/dev-lang/tauthon/files/tauthon-rename.patch

To be honest, I quite like "placeholder" as a name

I suggest

• dpy - Discontinued python
• opy - Overhauled python (sounds like o-pie)
• vyper - "viper" another snake but with "y" for familiarity

• senpy - notice me
• pynest

Suggestion: py

It's short & obviously not a trademark infringement on Python

I know placeholder is py 2.x, not pi × 2, but what about tauthon in the spirit of the Tau Manifesto? It's cheeky and fits the contrarian viewpoint.

"py" is already used by Python as a launcher.

I know placeholder is py 2.x, not pi × 2, but what about tauthon in the spirit of the Tau Manifesto?

Perfect perfect PERFECT! :-D

• 6.28: six, like the six module. 28, as in PEP 404.
• pi -> tau, like e.g. C -> C++
• Two syllables, easy to say.
• Domain name is open, (though not anymore!)
• No debian packages of the same name.
• No other projects of the same name
• Obviously not an official python release.
• "It's cheeky and fits the contrarian viewpoint."

"tauthon" is the new and permanent name of this project.

Thanks @perennialmind!

Thanks a lot to everyone who suggested names--they were uniformly better than my ideas. You're all a lot more talented than me at this, apparently. :-)

Next up, PR to change the name!

math.tau just landed in 3.6 as well :)

Very cool idea @perennialmind, and thanks once again for being such a good sport about finding a new name, @naftaliharris!

math.tau just landed in 3.6 as well :)

Ha, well tauthon definitely has to have this too!

thanks once again for being such a good sport about finding a new name, @naftaliharris!

Of course. :-)

@ncoghlan, I have a small patch for a minor traceback bug in 2.7 I wanted to contribute upstream. http://bugs.python.org/issue29107 Any advice on getting a review? Just ping the watchers again?

@gvanrossum

OK, bring in the lawyers.

Thank you Guido van Rossum for your arguments. I would like to draw your attention to the fact that the EOL of Python 2.7 is seen as fraud. It is even experienced as a kind of extortion. Do or die. Read about the Python 2 EOL-scam at this discussion: https://community.plone.org/t/pre-discussion-on-plip-maintain-py2-support/11383/41

This discussion is over, the project has been renamed. @naftaliharris can you please lock this to avoid spam like the above?

/edit: @Juronski I actually independently came to the same conclusion as “jensens” in the thread you linked: You’re using conspiracy theorist reasoning. I suggest for your own good that you try to find a healthier path in life. This kind of thinking won’t make you happy, and it will lead you away from the truth. When you follow down this path, you’ll end up a miserable uncritical conspiracy theorist lapping up everything said about gay frogs by types like Alex Jones.

@flying-sheep my post was not addressed to you. Sheeps always will be sheeps.

Locked, we changed this a long time ago. And +1 for civility.