OT (partially): about promotion of integers

[Han]

Walter Bright wrote:

> I'm interested in crafting D to be a language that people will like
> and use.

Does that statement, then, represent a change in direction for the D 
project? How long will this "crafting" take? Has this "crafting" been 
already going on now for a decade? More than a decade? I'm new here and 
would like to hear it "from the horse's mouth", so people, please let Walter 
answer first.