Path: csiph.com!eeepc.pasdenom.info!news.pasdenom.info!news.dougwise.org!gegeweb.org!de-l.enfer-du-nord.net!feeder1.enfer-du-nord.net!tudelft.nl!txtfeed1.tudelft.nl!feeder.news-service.com!newsfeed.xs4all.nl!newsfeed5.news.xs4all.nl!newsfeed6.news.xs4all.nl!xs4all!post.news.xs4all.nl!not-for-mail
Return-Path: <rob.richardson@rad-con.com>
X-Original-To: python-list@python.org
Delivered-To: python-list@mail.python.org
X-Spam-Status: OK 0.049
X-Spam-Evidence: '*H*': 0.90; '*S*': 0.00; 'syntax': 0.10; 'poster': 0.16; 'received:8': 0.16; 'subject:def': 0.16; 'recently,': 0.18; 'header:In-Reply-To:1': 0.23; 'curious': 0.28; 'thanks': 0.30; 'to:addr:python-list': 0.31; "i've": 0.31; 'excellent': 0.36; 'charset:us-ascii': 0.37; 'subject:: ': 0.39; 'to:addr:python.org': 0.40; 'answer.': 0.64
X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft Exchange V6.5
Content-class: urn:content-classes:message
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Subject: RE: Understanding def foo(*args)
Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2011 08:57:55 -0500
In-Reply-To: <4D469A42.4090401@sequans.com>
X-MS-Has-Attach: 
X-MS-TNEF-Correlator: 
Thread-Topic: Understanding def foo(*args)
thread-index: AcvBORaIm6h911GLTVuTmwP/i/FgzgAFaCIg
From: "Rob Richardson" <Rob.Richardson@rad-con.com>
To: <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.1499.1296482681.6505.python-list@python.org>
Lines: 5
NNTP-Posting-Host: 82.94.164.166
X-Trace: 1296482682 news.xs4all.nl 41110 [::ffff:82.94.164.166]:52471
X-Complaints-To: abuse@xs4all.nl
Xref: csiph.com comp.lang.python:55933

My thanks both to the original poster and to JM for an excellent answer.
I saw this syntax for the first time recently, and I've been curious
about it too.

RobR