Path: csiph.com!x330-a1.tempe.blueboxinc.net!usenet.pasdenom.info!aioe.org!feeder.news-service.com!news2.euro.net!newsgate.cistron.nl!newsgate.news.xs4all.nl!194.109.133.85.MISMATCH!newsfeed.xs4all.nl!newsfeed6.news.xs4all.nl!xs4all!post.news.xs4all.nl!not-for-mail Return-Path: X-Original-To: python-list@python.org Delivered-To: python-list@mail.python.org X-Spam-Status: OK 0.139 X-Spam-Level: * X-Spam-Evidence: '*H*': 0.72; '*S*': 0.00; 'sorts': 0.04; 'pm,': 0.11; 'programmer': 0.11; 'say,': 0.14; 'wrote:': 0.14; 'inaccessible': 0.16; 'unstructured': 0.16; 'input': 0.18; 'subject:list': 0.22; 'header:In-Reply-To:1': 0.22; 'thu,': 0.22; 'trying': 0.23; 'example.': 0.23; 'example': 0.24; "i'm": 0.26; 'chris': 0.27; 'message-id:@mail.gmail.com': 0.28; 'does': 0.31; 'engineering': 0.31; 'anyone': 0.31; 'to:addr:python-list': 0.32; 'programming.': 0.33; 'using': 0.34; 'received:209.85': 0.37; 'exactly': 0.37; 'useful': 0.37; 'received:google.com': 0.38; 'software': 0.38; 'completely': 0.38; 'app': 0.39; 'explain': 0.39; 'to:addr:python.org': 0.39; 'received:209': 0.39; 'how': 0.39; '8bit%:8': 0.39; 'takes': 0.40; 'would': 0.40; 'header:Received:5': 0.40; '2011': 0.62; 'art': 0.62; 'industry,': 0.65; 'here': 0.65; 'day': 0.66; 'fulfill': 0.68; 'become': 0.70; 'join.': 0.73; 'mastering': 0.84; 'received:209.85.210.174': 0.84; 'received:mail-iy0-f174.google.com': 0.84; '\xa0google': 0.84; 'defend': 0.91 DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=gamma; h=domainkey-signature:mime-version:in-reply-to:references:date :message-id:subject:from:to:content-type:content-transfer-encoding; bh=r1DSvdaVEXiUTj6Bi2mhkB1GkCXi08WrLezafTPczV0=; b=qdMNaaAnwLfAmP2KCXFlA4KfAsuyRfvgV0mX2g/JB+x2J4+/bay8FJOPrKJRmNGsEj YjnjCcmj0Yd45l5WSGXoW9hxYB1SUOwQjJuhqaufD0O3hFQqgAxzs0zvxQ6LQeTcSPxm W1FWmGKnN3ots6RQMzkWD5mSOYerhGZkWT8sA= DomainKey-Signature: a=rsa-sha1; c=nofws; d=gmail.com; s=gamma; h=mime-version:in-reply-to:references:date:message-id:subject:from:to :content-type:content-transfer-encoding; b=er59jL7tJJ54/NfuzmoA0/5xRzw0qQWpj4ciQ+zZUx0ZBHLr1sV1GnMtoUoKy/Jcmn 5ryz2I9xEIdSdBhFxTVfjehnMUVNJt93oemTudDWSWC9cWg8+ZF57qqyHnmo9EEM4pyQ 4ZLEwKNWZ8afphm5VhcJNtApX+MiddnXn1HTA= MIME-Version: 1.0 In-Reply-To: References: <9hYwp.5805$xo2.3333@newsfe07.iad> <4dc502c7$0$29991$c3e8da3$5496439d@news.astraweb.com> Date: Thu, 12 May 2011 22:16:10 +1000 Subject: Re: checking if a list is empty From: Chris Angelico To: python-list@python.org Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable X-BeenThere: python-list@python.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.12 Precedence: list List-Id: General discussion list for the Python programming language List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Newsgroups: comp.lang.python Message-ID: Lines: 24 NNTP-Posting-Host: 82.94.164.166 X-Trace: 1305202574 news.xs4all.nl 41113 [::ffff:82.94.164.166]:50139 X-Complaints-To: abuse@xs4all.nl Xref: x330-a1.tempe.blueboxinc.net comp.lang.python:5229 On Thu, May 12, 2011 at 4:21 PM, Hans Georg Schaathun wr= ote: > On Thu, 12 May 2011 01:49:05 -0400, D'Arcy J.M. Cain > =A0 wrote: > : =A0That's not programming. =A0That's using a canned app that a programm= er > : =A0wrote that takes your unstructured input and does something useful w= ith > : =A0it. =A0Spreadsheets are a primitive example of that. =A0Google is a = more > : =A0advanced example. > > You are really trying to defend the programmers' status as a modern > day priesthood, mastering a mystic art completely inaccessible to > those not initiated. Anyone can join. Not everyone wants to join. Me, I'm happy here as a priest of the software industry, and I have no desire to become a priest of, say, automotive engineering or concrete pouring. Would an expert concreter be expected to explain to me exactly how to make different sorts of concrete, or would he be expected simply to fulfill his contract and provide me with my structure? Chris Angelico