Actually, he prefers the old syntax.  The new syntax is there because he got swayed by practical considerations.  For instance, back in July 2000, there was this:<p><a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.python.org&#x2F;dev&#x2F;peps&#x2F;pep-0214&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.python.org&#x2F;dev&#x2F;peps&#x2F;pep-0214&#x2F;</a><p>Where he basically said &quot;Maybe print should be a function, but... nah&quot;.<p>Two years later, he says he regrets it:<p><a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;legacy.python.org&#x2F;doc&#x2F;essays&#x2F;ppt&#x2F;regrets&#x2F;PythonRegrets.pdf" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;legacy.python.org&#x2F;doc&#x2F;essays&#x2F;ppt&#x2F;regrets&#x2F;PythonRegret...</a><p>And the benefits are explained here:<p><a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.python.org&#x2F;dev&#x2F;peps&#x2F;pep-3105&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.python.org&#x2F;dev&#x2F;peps&#x2F;pep-3105&#x2F;</a>