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Gleam reserved a handful of keywords in 1.0 (including echo), so it isn't a new keyword.

What you're describing is what `echo` is in terms of functionality and implemented, and it's not a new keyword so it is backwards compatible.

There are disadvantages of blurring the lines of what a function is an can do. Gleam values clarity above all things, so we don't have back-doors or special-cases. Everything plays by the same rules.

that is basically just a keyword with extra steps...

> That would've had the added benefit of being backwards compatible (which new keywords are not).

except it’s not a new keyword. and is your argument that you could easily define python print() to something else in a way that having a “print” keyword disallows? no wonder python 2=>3 was such a bear…