Many Python people just hate everybody who questions a little bit of their language. I think it's also due to the fact that many learn Python as first language and have problems accepting TIMTOWTDI.

The other problem is the frustrating learn curve of Perl, because we have a list form and a ref form of an array.

  DB<2> $a = [A..Z]

  DB<3> @a = (a..z)

  DB<4> x $a[0], $a->[0]
0  'a'
1  'A'
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That has many advantages but makes the syntax confusing.

I'd personally like to have any new syntax or pragma to "alias" $a and @a together at declaration time, such that I could write

my $a[];       #=> @a := @$a
$a = [A..Z];
print "@a";    # A B C ... 
print $a[0];   # A
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thus avoiding \ and -> in many cases.

The downside would be to loose the advantages of separate namespaces, but they are rarely used.

Though I don't know how to implement it or if it's even possible, without braking old code.