Python core developer: the retirement of Python creator Guido van Rossum hasn’t really changed things

Guido van Rossum, the founder of Python, announced that he has been away from the Python decision-making layer and has been resigning from BDFL for more than a month. What has changed inside Python? At the PyBay 2018 conference held last weekend, Raymond Hettinger, a member of the Python core development team, consultant and speaker, said in an interview with The Register that the retirement of Python’s father did not change anything.

“It has not changed the tenor of development yet,” he said. “Essentially, [Guido] presented us with a challenge for self-government. And at this point we don’t have any active challenges or something controversial to resolve.”

Another technical instructor, Simeon Franklin, also said that 30-40 people manage today’s Python – “Nothing is really changing that much.”

According to Hettinger, the current Python code check-in and bug fixes are the same as before Guido left. The role of Guido itself in history is also the person who makes decisions in the direction of some language development, not the person who manages the process.

Hettinger added that the core development team is about to break out, because without Guido van Rossum as an arbitrator, the team needs to take on more responsibilities. In the past, they could have relatively crazy ideas because they knew that if something went beyond the bottom line, there would be an adult in the room saying, “No, we’re not doing that.” But now, they need to make their own decisions.