Path: csiph.com!x330-a1.tempe.blueboxinc.net!usenet.pasdenom.info!aioe.org!feeder.news-service.com!xlned.com!feeder7.xlned.com!news2.euro.net!newsgate.cistron.nl!newsgate.news.xs4all.nl!post.news.xs4all.nl!not-for-mail
Return-Path: <darcy@druid.net>
X-Original-To: python-list@python.org
Delivered-To: python-list@mail.python.org
X-Spam-Status: OK 0.021
X-Spam-Evidence: '*H*': 0.96; '*S*': 0.00; 'else:': 0.03; '"if': 0.04; 'wed,': 0.04; 'elif': 0.05; 'instance,': 0.05; 'suppose': 0.05; 'python': 0.07; 'wrote:': 0.14; '425': 0.16; 'cc:no real name:2**0': 0.20; 'cc:2**0': 0.20; 'language': 0.20; 'subject:list': 0.22; 'header:In-Reply-To:1': 0.22; 'cc:addr :python-list': 0.22; 'do,': 0.22; 'voting': 0.23; "what's": 0.24; 'basics': 0.29; 'explains': 0.29; 'cc:addr:python.org': 0.31; 'fact': 0.31; 'programmers': 0.31; 'random': 0.31; 'screen': 0.32; 'idea': 0.32; 'programming.': 0.33; 'created': 0.33; 'actually': 0.34; '+0100': 0.35; 'possibility': 0.36; 'charset:us-ascii': 0.36; 'it?': 0.37; 'should': 0.37; 'run': 0.37; 'but': 0.38; 'could': 0.39; 'comes': 0.39; 'header:Mime-Version:1': 0.39; 'simple': 0.60; 'learn': 0.60; 'hand': 0.61; 'header:Message- Id:1': 0.62; '2011': 0.62; 'received:208': 0.62; 'url:net': 0.62; 'making': 0.62; 'day': 0.66; 'afraid': 0.69; 'learned': 0.73; 'ship': 0.77; 'democracy': 0.84; 'movements': 0.84; 'reasoning': 0.84
Date: Wed, 11 May 2011 10:27:49 -0400
From: "D'Arcy J.M. Cain" <darcy@druid.net>
To: Hans Georg Schaathun <hg@schaathun.net>
Subject: Re: checking if a list is empty
In-Reply-To: <pmhq98-mi6.ln1@svn.schaathun.net>
References: <mailman.1226.1304663814.9059.python-list@python.org> <200e93c2-6b87-4113-9c6f-85815e51ea77@28g2000yqu.googlegroups.com> <4dc4b3c5$0$29991$c3e8da3$5496439d@news.astraweb.com> <iuvp98-446.ln1@svn.schaathun.net> <4dca7db5$0$29980$c3e8da3$5496439d@news.astraweb.com> <pmhq98-mi6.ln1@svn.schaathun.net>
X-Mailer: Sylpheed 3.1.0 (GTK+ 2.24.4; i686-pc-linux-gnu)
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Cc: python-list@python.org
X-BeenThere: python-list@python.org
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.12
Precedence: list
List-Id: General discussion list for the Python programming language <python-list.python.org>
List-Unsubscribe: <http://mail.python.org/mailman/options/python-list>, <mailto:python-list-request@python.org?subject=unsubscribe>
List-Archive: <http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-list>
List-Post: <mailto:python-list@python.org>
List-Help: <mailto:python-list-request@python.org?subject=help>
List-Subscribe: <http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list>, <mailto:python-list-request@python.org?subject=subscribe>
Newsgroups: comp.lang.python
Message-ID: <mailman.1404.1305124446.9059.python-list@python.org>
Lines: 24
NNTP-Posting-Host: 82.94.164.166
X-Trace: 1305124446 news.xs4all.nl 41114 [::ffff:82.94.164.166]:32842
X-Complaints-To: abuse@xs4all.nl
Xref: x330-a1.tempe.blueboxinc.net comp.lang.python:5121

On Wed, 11 May 2011 15:05:45 +0100
Hans Georg Schaathun <hg@schaathun.net> wrote:
> What could elif mean other than else: if?

If run by an elf?  Who knows.  You do, of course, if you have learned
the basics of the language you are using.

> if x could, for instance,  mean "if x is defined".

It could also mean "if x was created on a Tuesday."  A short
introduction to the language explains what it actually means.

When did we come to the idea that people should be able to program in a
language without actually learning it?  The fact that Python comes so
close to that possibility is nothing short of revolutionary.  I suppose
one day a reasoning android will be able to sit down at the terminal of
a star ship computer and ask simple questions while making random hand
movements across a screen but for now I am afraid that programmers
still have to learn programming.

-- 
D'Arcy J.M. Cain <darcy@druid.net>         |  Democracy is three wolves
http://www.druid.net/darcy/                |  and a sheep voting on
+1 416 425 1212     (DoD#0082)    (eNTP)   |  what's for dinner.