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Re: OT: Flashlights [was Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces]

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On Saturday, July 5, 2014 5:15:32 AM UTC-5, Steven D'Aprano wrote:
> (By the way, outside of the USA, flashlights in the rest
> of the English- speaking world are usually called
> "torches", so called because, like the old-fashioned
> burning torch, they provide light.)

Well Steven all i can hope is that one day you and i will be
working on a project together, and you will ask me for a
"touch", and when i return with a petrol soaked rag burning
on the end of twig and proceed to light your hair on fire,
hopefully at that moment, you will THEN gain a healthy respect
for logical naming conventions! 

You see, just as a "proper" programming language utilize the
punishments of Exceptions for illogical behaviors, life
utilizes the power of pain for even greater effect.

Ah, what's that old adage about doing the same things over
and over but expecting different results? Oh well, maybe
someone can chime in...

    SHALL WE "RINSE AND REPEAT" MR.D'APRANO?

> A few minutes googling would have given you the answer:
> flashlights are called flashlights because originally you
> could only flash them on and off. Due to the high power
> requirements and the low battery capacities at the time,
> leaving the torch switched on would burn out the filament,
> exhaust the battery, or both.

So what you're telling me is that in the early days of the
"portable light" the function of the device was so terrible
that the best all one could hope for was limited
intermittent functionality with a great chance of destroying
the device simply in the course of its normal use?

Wow, and people actually paid money for these devices?

Sounds like window 95 all over again!

<SNIP HISTORY LESSON> *yawn*

> So far from being an illogical term, the name "flashlight"
> actually gives you a glimpse into the historical
> background of the invention.

Yes, because when my power goes out, and i need to get to
the electrical panel during a torrential rainstorm, at 2am
in the morning, after a long day working in the company of
idiots, and then coming home to a nagging "significant
other", and then my dog dies... whist i tromp through the
mud and the muck, at least my mind will be at peace knowing
the historical significance of an illogical naming
convention coined for a device that was so impractical as to
render itself completely useless...

    THANKS "FLASHLIGHT" @_@!

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PEP8 and 4 spaces Tobiah <tshepard@rcsreg.com> - 2014-07-03 10:31 -0700
  Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces Roy Smith <roy@panix.com> - 2014-07-03 13:46 -0400
  Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces Grant Edwards <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2014-07-03 19:02 +0000
    Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces Tim Chase <python.list@tim.thechases.com> - 2014-07-03 14:40 -0500
      Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces Tobiah <toby@tobiah.org> - 2014-07-03 14:23 -0700
        Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces Emile van Sebille <emile@fenx.com> - 2014-07-03 16:15 -0700
          Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces Grant Edwards <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2014-07-04 14:28 +0000
            Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces Marko Rauhamaa <marko@pacujo.net> - 2014-07-04 17:54 +0300
              Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2014-07-05 00:58 +1000
              Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces Mark Lawrence <breamoreboy@yahoo.co.uk> - 2014-07-04 16:00 +0100
                Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces Marko Rauhamaa <marko@pacujo.net> - 2014-07-04 18:12 +0300
              Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces Simon Ward <simon+python@bleah.co.uk> - 2014-07-04 19:52 +0100
              Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces Michael Torrie <torriem@gmail.com> - 2014-07-05 16:03 -0600
              Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces Mark Lawrence <breamoreboy@yahoo.co.uk> - 2014-07-05 23:50 +0100
            Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces Mark Lawrence <breamoreboy@yahoo.co.uk> - 2014-07-04 15:57 +0100
            Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces Emile van Sebille <emile@fenx.com> - 2014-07-04 08:57 -0700
            Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces Mark Lawrence <breamoreboy@yahoo.co.uk> - 2014-07-04 17:06 +0100
              Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces Maciej Dziardziel <fiedzia@gmail.com> - 2014-07-04 09:19 -0700
                Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2014-07-04 16:56 +0000
    Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces Tobiah <toby@tobiah.org> - 2014-07-03 14:28 -0700
  Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2014-07-04 01:02 +0000
    Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2014-07-04 11:19 +1000
    Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces Gregory Ewing <greg.ewing@canterbury.ac.nz> - 2014-07-04 18:35 +1200
      Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces wxjmfauth@gmail.com - 2014-07-04 01:47 -0700
        Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces Marko Rauhamaa <marko@pacujo.net> - 2014-07-04 12:21 +0300
          Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces wxjmfauth@gmail.com - 2014-07-04 03:10 -0700
      Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces Roy Smith <roy@panix.com> - 2014-07-04 09:47 -0400
        Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces Mihamina Rakotomandimby <mihamina.rakotomandimby@rktmb.org> - 2014-07-04 16:59 +0300
        Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces Mark Lawrence <breamoreboy@yahoo.co.uk> - 2014-07-04 16:12 +0100
        Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces George Silva <georger.silva@gmail.com> - 2014-07-04 12:14 -0300
          Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces Roy Smith <roy@panix.com> - 2014-07-04 12:31 -0400
            Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces George Silva <georger.silva@gmail.com> - 2014-07-04 13:37 -0300
        Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces Gregory Ewing <greg.ewing@canterbury.ac.nz> - 2014-07-05 11:14 +1200
  Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces Rick Johnson <rantingrickjohnson@gmail.com> - 2014-07-04 19:00 -0700
    Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces Rick Johnson <rantingrickjohnson@gmail.com> - 2014-07-04 19:47 -0700
      Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2014-07-05 13:03 +1000
      Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces Gregory Ewing <greg.ewing@canterbury.ac.nz> - 2014-07-05 20:57 +1200
        Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces alister <alister.nospam.ware@ntlworld.com> - 2014-07-05 09:48 +0000
      OT: Flashlights [was Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces] Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2014-07-05 10:15 +0000
        Re: OT: Flashlights [was Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces] Rick Johnson <rantingrickjohnson@gmail.com> - 2014-07-06 08:41 -0700
          Re: OT: Flashlights [was Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces] Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2014-07-07 08:25 +1000
    Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces Ian Kelly <ian.g.kelly@gmail.com> - 2014-07-05 12:57 -0600
      Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces Roy Smith <roy@panix.com> - 2014-07-05 15:07 -0400
    Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces Robert Kern <robert.kern@gmail.com> - 2014-07-05 21:07 +0100
    Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2014-07-06 09:27 +1000
      Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces Dan Sommers <dan@tombstonezero.net> - 2014-07-06 01:18 +0000
        Re: PEP8 and 4 spaces Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2014-07-06 11:28 +1000

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