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Groups > comp.lang.python > #39545

Re: Python Newbie

Date 2013-02-22 12:05 +0100
From Steve Simmons <square.steve@gmail.com>
Subject Re: Python Newbie
References <cad0eacc-6040-4a00-bd05-7fabfd2fa70e@googlegroups.com> <5c262e95-b3a8-4f2a-b752-84b30bf4f81e@googlegroups.com> <512747bd$0$29988$c3e8da3$5496439d@news.astraweb.com>
Newsgroups comp.lang.python
Message-ID <mailman.2252.1361531454.2939.python-list@python.org> (permalink)

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Dear Mr D'Aprano,

I thank you for your post but I must complain in the strongest possible 
terms that it was not enclosed in the correct delimeters.  It should 
have been enclosed in a  <humour>... </humour> pair (or 
<humor>...</humor> if you are American).

I was drinking coffee at the time I started reading your post and, 
entirely due to your negligent lack of proper delimiters, much of my 
coffee is now irretrievably resident in my keyboard. My lawyers will be 
in touch...


On 22/02/2013 11:26, Steven D'Aprano wrote:
> On Thu, 21 Feb 2013 14:40:37 -0800, piterrr.dolinski wrote:
>
>> With Python, I am having to do this
>>
>> code
>> code
>>
>> ##############################
>>
>> if (some condition):
>>    code
>>    code
>>
>> ##############################
>
> I prefer this:
>
>
> # WARNING WARNING WARNING IF STATEMENT AHEAD BEWARE BEWARE BEWARE
> if something():
>      do(stuff)
> # WHEW IF STATEMENT FINISHED!!! WE SURVIVED, THANK THE GODS!!!
>
>
> That way I can be sure that people reading it will know it is an "if" and
> not a "for" or "while", just in case the actual code wasn't clear enough.
>
>
>
>> I am nervous about using variables "out of the blue", without having to
>> declare them.
> I feel your pain. I'm nervous about declaring variables "out of the
> blue", without having to declare that I'm about to declare them. I live
> in hope that some day I will find a language that lets me write:
>
> FORWARD VARS:
>      int x;
>      double y;
>      str s;
>
> VARS:
>      int x;
>      float y;
>      str s;
>
>
> and have the compiler catch my error in declaring y as a float instead of
> a double. Then I will be one step closer to my dream of not having to
> understand the code I write.
>
>
>> For example, when I write "i = 0" it is perfectly OK to
>> Python without 'i' being declared earlier. How do I know that I haven't
>> used this variable earlier and I am unintentionally overwriting the
>> value? I find I constantly have to use the search facility in the
>> editor, which is not fun.
> Some people suggest that functions should be small enough to read over in
> a glance, or at least a couple of glances. They even say that variable
> names should be meaningful, so you can tell whether a variable has been
> used from context. I say, fi to that! Programming should be a challenge!
> It should be exciting! Which is why I never use functions, and always use
> the same single-letter variable with a cryptographic hash to distinguish
> them.
>
> i048b8497cf86dab9dade2ce6beddf13a = []
> i048b6497cd85d9b9da2a3ce6bdedf167 = 42
>
>
> *wink*
>
>
> I'm not going to apologise for taking the piss, although I do hope you
> will take it in the spirit it is intended: constructive criticism rather
> than abuse. The reality is, these "problems" you are running into are not
> problems in practice, and the "solutions" you are used to, like braces,
> are visually noisy and not terribly effective. You would probably think
> differently of { } if they were spelled "BEGIN" and "END" like in Pascal.
>
> Braces have one, and only one, advantage: if you pass code through a
> noisy environment that deletes whitespace at will, you can recover the
> structure of the code from the braces. Python does not have that
> advantage, and sometimes it is a pain, e.g. when people email code using
> a broken mail client that deletes spaces.
>
> But then, if you passed C code through something that deleted the braces,
> you'd be royally screwed too. The solution to that is to stop having
> tools that think that whitespace isn't significant. Of course it is
> significant, it is significant to the human reader, who is about a
> hundred billion trillion times more important than the compiler.
>
>
>

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Thread

Python Newbie Piterrr <piterrr.dolinski@gmail.com> - 2013-02-21 13:26 -0800
  Re: Python Newbie Ian Kelly <ian.g.kelly@gmail.com> - 2013-02-21 14:54 -0700
  Re: Python Newbie MRAB <python@mrabarnett.plus.com> - 2013-02-21 21:58 +0000
  Re: Python Newbie Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2013-02-22 08:59 +1100
  Re: Python Newbie Peter Pearson <ppearson@nowhere.invalid> - 2013-02-21 22:03 +0000
  Re: Python Newbie Dave Angel <davea@davea.name> - 2013-02-21 17:22 -0500
  Re: Python Newbie piterrr.dolinski@gmail.com - 2013-02-21 14:40 -0800
    Re: Python Newbie Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2013-02-22 10:21 +1100
      Re: Python Newbie piterrr.dolinski@gmail.com - 2013-02-21 15:34 -0800
        Re: Python Newbie Mark Lawrence <breamoreboy@yahoo.co.uk> - 2013-02-21 23:48 +0000
        Re: Python Newbie Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2013-02-22 11:32 +1100
        Re: Python Newbie Michael Torrie <torriem@gmail.com> - 2013-02-23 11:58 -0700
      Re: Python Newbie piterrr.dolinski@gmail.com - 2013-02-21 15:34 -0800
    Re: Python Newbie Oscar Benjamin <oscar.j.benjamin@gmail.com> - 2013-02-21 23:27 +0000
    Re: Python Newbie Ian Kelly <ian.g.kelly@gmail.com> - 2013-02-21 16:55 -0700
    Re: Python Newbie rusi <rustompmody@gmail.com> - 2013-02-21 22:57 -0800
    Re: Python Newbie Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2013-02-22 10:26 +0000
      Re: Python Newbie Steve Simmons <square.steve@gmail.com> - 2013-02-22 12:05 +0100
      Re: Python Newbie Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2013-02-22 22:23 +1100
    Re: Python Newbie Michael Torrie <torriem@gmail.com> - 2013-02-23 16:04 -0700
    Re: Python Newbie Vito De Tullio <vito.detullio@gmail.com> - 2013-02-24 09:23 +0100
    Re: Python Newbie "J.R." <groups_jr-1@yahoo.com.br> - 2013-02-24 23:02 -0300
      Re: Python Newbie Roy Smith <roy@panix.com> - 2013-02-24 21:03 -0500
        Re: Python Newbie "J.R." <groups_jr-1@yahoo.com.br> - 2013-02-24 23:35 -0300
        Re: Python Newbie Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2013-02-25 13:31 +1100
  Re: Python Newbie Dennis Lee Bieber <wlfraed@ix.netcom.com> - 2013-02-21 19:35 -0500
  Re: Python Newbie Mitya Sirenef <msirenef@lightbird.net> - 2013-02-21 23:50 -0500
    Re: Python Newbie Rui Maciel <rui.maciel@gmail.com> - 2013-02-22 11:58 +0000
      Re: Python Newbie Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2013-02-22 23:12 +1100
        Re: Python Newbie Rui Maciel <rui.maciel@gmail.com> - 2013-02-22 13:50 +0000
          Re: Python Newbie Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2013-02-23 01:05 +1100
            Re: Python Newbie Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2013-02-23 00:03 +0000
              Re: Python Newbie Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2013-02-23 11:21 +1100
          Re: Python Newbie Duncan Booth <duncan.booth@invalid.invalid> - 2013-02-22 14:26 +0000
            Re: Python Newbie Steve Simmons <square.steve@gmail.com> - 2013-02-22 15:45 +0100
              Re: Python Newbie Duncan Booth <duncan.booth@invalid.invalid> - 2013-02-22 15:02 +0000
            Re: Python Newbie Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2013-02-23 02:06 +1100
              Re: Python Newbie piterrr.dolinski@gmail.com - 2013-02-22 13:37 -0800
                Re: Python Newbie Oscar Benjamin <oscar.j.benjamin@gmail.com> - 2013-02-22 22:08 +0000
                Re: Python Newbie Ian Kelly <ian.g.kelly@gmail.com> - 2013-02-22 15:45 -0700
                Re: Python Newbie piterrr.dolinski@gmail.com - 2013-02-22 15:38 -0800
                Re: Python Newbie Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2013-02-23 11:17 +1100
                Re: Python Newbie Dennis Lee Bieber <wlfraed@ix.netcom.com> - 2013-02-23 13:29 -0500
                Re: Python Newbie Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2013-02-24 08:38 +1100
                Re: Python Newbie Michael Torrie <torriem@gmail.com> - 2013-02-23 15:52 -0700
                Re: Python Newbie Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2013-02-24 10:18 +1100
                Re: Python Newbie piterrr.dolinski@gmail.com - 2013-02-23 15:46 -0800
                Re: Python Newbie Larry Hudson <orgnut@yahoo.com> - 2013-02-23 20:20 -0800
                Re: Python Newbie Mark Lawrence <breamoreboy@yahoo.co.uk> - 2013-02-24 14:34 +0000
                Re: Python Newbie piterrr.dolinski@gmail.com - 2013-02-24 07:46 -0800
                Re: Python Newbie Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2013-02-25 02:52 +1100
                Re: Python Newbie Roy Smith <roy@panix.com> - 2013-02-24 11:22 -0500
                Re: Python Newbie Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2013-02-24 17:44 +0000
                Re: Python Newbie piterrr.dolinski@gmail.com - 2013-02-24 11:29 -0800
                Re: Python Newbie Joshua Landau <joshua.landau.ws@gmail.com> - 2013-02-24 21:35 +0000
                Re: Python Newbie piterrr.dolinski@gmail.com - 2013-02-24 14:43 -0800
                Re: Python Newbie Joel Goldstick <joel.goldstick@gmail.com> - 2013-02-24 18:05 -0500
                Re: Python Newbie Joshua Landau <joshua.landau.ws@gmail.com> - 2013-02-24 23:13 +0000
                Re: Python Newbie piterrr.dolinski@gmail.com - 2013-02-24 14:43 -0800
                Re: Python Newbie Larry Hudson <orgnut@yahoo.com> - 2013-02-26 00:32 -0800
                Re: Python Newbie rurpy@yahoo.com - 2013-02-26 10:23 -0800
                Re: Python Newbie Ethan Furman <ethan@stoneleaf.us> - 2013-02-26 10:59 -0800
                Re: Python Newbie rurpy@yahoo.com - 2013-02-26 13:30 -0800
                Re: Python Newbie Michael Torrie <torriem@gmail.com> - 2013-02-24 18:31 -0700
                Re: Python Newbie Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2013-02-25 09:08 +1100
                Re: Python Newbie Oscar Benjamin <oscar.j.benjamin@gmail.com> - 2013-02-24 23:18 +0000
                Re: Python Newbie Joshua Landau <joshua.landau.ws@gmail.com> - 2013-02-24 22:51 +0000
                Re: Python Newbie piterrr.dolinski@gmail.com - 2013-02-24 15:38 -0800
                Re: Python Newbie Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2013-02-25 10:45 +1100
                Re: Python Newbie Ethan Furman <ethan@stoneleaf.us> - 2013-02-24 15:53 -0800
                Re: Python Newbie piterrr.dolinski@gmail.com - 2013-02-24 16:08 -0800
                Re: Python Newbie Joshua Landau <joshua.landau.ws@gmail.com> - 2013-02-25 00:28 +0000
                Re: Python Newbie Mark Lawrence <breamoreboy@yahoo.co.uk> - 2013-02-25 00:38 +0000
                Re: Python Newbie Ethan Furman <ethan@stoneleaf.us> - 2013-02-24 16:33 -0800
                Re: Python Newbie Oscar Benjamin <oscar.j.benjamin@gmail.com> - 2013-02-25 00:45 +0000
                Re: Python Newbie Roy Smith <roy@panix.com> - 2013-02-24 19:50 -0500
                Re: Python Newbie Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2013-02-25 01:04 +0000
                Re: Python Newbie Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2013-02-25 12:27 +1100
                Re: Python Newbie Michael Torrie <torriem@gmail.com> - 2013-02-24 18:42 -0700
                Re: Python Newbie Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2013-02-25 12:24 +1100
                Re: Python Newbie Oscar Benjamin <oscar.j.benjamin@gmail.com> - 2013-02-25 01:44 +0000
                Re: Python Newbie Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2013-02-25 12:53 +1100
                Re: Python Newbie MRAB <python@mrabarnett.plus.com> - 2013-02-25 02:23 +0000
                Re: Python Newbie Ethan Furman <ethan@stoneleaf.us> - 2013-02-24 18:59 -0800
                Re: Python Newbie piterrr.dolinski@gmail.com - 2013-02-24 16:08 -0800
                Re: Python Newbie Roy Smith <roy@panix.com> - 2013-02-24 19:42 -0500
                Re: Python Newbie piterrr.dolinski@gmail.com - 2013-02-24 15:38 -0800
                Re: Python Newbie Joshua Landau <joshua.landau.ws@gmail.com> - 2013-02-24 23:21 +0000
                Re: Python Newbie Dave Angel <davea@davea.name> - 2013-02-24 17:47 -0500
                Re: Python Newbie Serhiy Storchaka <storchaka@gmail.com> - 2013-02-25 14:40 +0200
                Re: Python Newbie piterrr.dolinski@gmail.com - 2013-02-24 07:46 -0800
                Re: Python Newbie Michael Torrie <torriem@gmail.com> - 2013-02-23 22:23 -0700
                Re: Python Newbie MRAB <python@mrabarnett.plus.com> - 2013-02-24 00:11 +0000
                Re: Python Newbie Dennis Lee Bieber <wlfraed@ix.netcom.com> - 2013-02-24 12:37 -0500
                Re: Python Newbie Michael Torrie <torriem@gmail.com> - 2013-02-24 10:56 -0700
                Re: Python Newbie Roy Smith <roy@panix.com> - 2013-02-24 13:07 -0500
                Re: Python Newbie Dennis Lee Bieber <wlfraed@ix.netcom.com> - 2013-02-24 21:01 -0500
                Re: Python Newbie piterrr.dolinski@gmail.com - 2013-02-22 15:38 -0800
                Re: Python Newbie Terry Reedy <tjreedy@udel.edu> - 2013-02-22 20:04 -0500
                Re: Python Newbie rurpy@yahoo.com - 2013-02-22 18:48 -0800
                Re: Python Newbie Mitya Sirenef <msirenef@lightbird.net> - 2013-02-22 20:47 -0500
                Re: Python Newbie Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2013-02-23 02:02 +0000
                Re: Python Newbie Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2013-02-23 13:18 +1100
                Re: Python Newbie Grant Edwards <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2013-02-24 18:19 +0000
                Re: Python Newbie Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2013-02-25 07:25 +1100
                Re: Python Newbie Mitya Sirenef <msirenef@lightbird.net> - 2013-02-22 21:40 -0500
                Re: Python Newbie Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2013-02-23 13:48 +1100
                Re: Python Newbie Mark Lawrence <breamoreboy@yahoo.co.uk> - 2013-02-23 02:59 +0000
                Re: Python Newbie Dennis Lee Bieber <wlfraed@ix.netcom.com> - 2013-02-23 13:34 -0500
                Re: Python Newbie Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2013-02-24 08:40 +1100
                Re: Python Newbie Dennis Lee Bieber <wlfraed@ix.netcom.com> - 2013-02-24 12:41 -0500
                Re: Python Newbie Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2013-02-23 04:13 +0000
                Re: Python Newbie Serhiy Storchaka <storchaka@gmail.com> - 2013-02-23 11:48 +0200
                Re: Python Newbie Rui Maciel <rui.maciel@gmail.com> - 2013-02-23 12:30 +0000
                Re: Python Newbie Steve Simmons <square.steve@gmail.com> - 2013-02-23 16:43 +0100
                Re: Python Newbie jmfauth <wxjmfauth@gmail.com> - 2013-02-23 10:44 -0800
                Re: Python Newbie Ian Kelly <ian.g.kelly@gmail.com> - 2013-02-23 12:13 -0700
                Re: Python Newbie Ethan Furman <ethan@stoneleaf.us> - 2013-02-23 11:08 -0800
                Re: Python Newbie jmfauth <wxjmfauth@gmail.com> - 2013-02-23 12:53 -0800
                Re: Python Newbie Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2013-02-24 08:48 +1100
                Re: Python Newbie Mark Lawrence <breamoreboy@yahoo.co.uk> - 2013-02-24 00:02 +0000
                Re: Python Newbie Michael Torrie <torriem@gmail.com> - 2013-02-23 12:16 -0700
                Re: Python Newbie Matej Cepl <mcepl@redhat.com> - 2013-02-24 00:06 +0100
                Re: Python Newbie Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2013-02-24 02:51 +1100
                Re: Python Newbie Matej Cepl <mcepl@redhat.com> - 2013-02-24 00:04 +0100
                Re: Python Newbie Ethan Furman <ethan@stoneleaf.us> - 2013-02-23 08:32 -0800
                Re: Python Newbie Steve Simmons <square.steve@gmail.com> - 2013-02-23 18:39 +0100
                Re: Python Newbie Michael Torrie <torriem@gmail.com> - 2013-02-23 12:19 -0700
                Re: Python Newbie Mark Lawrence <breamoreboy@yahoo.co.uk> - 2013-02-24 17:11 +0000
                Re: Python Newbie piterrr.dolinski@gmail.com - 2013-02-24 11:40 -0800
                Re: Python Newbie Mitya Sirenef <msirenef@lightbird.net> - 2013-02-24 15:06 -0500
                Re: Python Newbie "Michael Ross" <gmx@ross.cx> - 2013-02-24 21:33 +0100
                Re: Python Newbie MRAB <python@mrabarnett.plus.com> - 2013-02-24 20:34 +0000
                Re: Python Newbie Mark Lawrence <breamoreboy@yahoo.co.uk> - 2013-02-24 20:41 +0000
                Re: Python Newbie Ethan Furman <ethan@stoneleaf.us> - 2013-02-24 12:34 -0800
                Re: Python Newbie Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2013-02-25 07:42 +1100
                Re: Python Newbie Roy Smith <roy@panix.com> - 2013-02-24 15:48 -0500
                Re: Python Newbie Joshua Landau <joshua.landau.ws@gmail.com> - 2013-02-24 21:58 +0000
                Re: Python Newbie Dennis Lee Bieber <wlfraed@ix.netcom.com> - 2013-02-24 21:08 -0500
                Re: Python Newbie Joshua Landau <joshua.landau.ws@gmail.com> - 2013-02-25 02:59 +0000
                Re: Python Newbie Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2013-02-25 07:47 +1100
                Re: Python Newbie Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2013-02-25 07:58 +1100
                Re: Python Newbie Roy Smith <roy@panix.com> - 2013-02-24 16:08 -0500
                Re: Python Newbie Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2013-02-25 08:44 +1100
                Re: Python Newbie Mitya Sirenef <msirenef@lightbird.net> - 2013-02-24 17:40 -0500
                Re: Python Newbie Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2013-02-25 01:11 +0000
                Re: Python Newbie Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2013-02-25 00:42 +0000
                Re: Python Newbie Michael Torrie <torriem@gmail.com> - 2013-02-24 18:34 -0700
                Re: Python Newbie Ethan Furman <ethan@stoneleaf.us> - 2013-02-24 14:33 -0800
                Re: Python Newbie Albert Hopkins <marduk@letterboxes.org> - 2013-02-24 18:32 -0500
                Re: Python Newbie Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2013-02-25 10:44 +1100
                Re: Python Newbie Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2013-02-25 01:06 +0000
                Re: Python Newbie piterrr.dolinski@gmail.com - 2013-02-24 11:40 -0800
              Re: Python Newbie piterrr.dolinski@gmail.com - 2013-02-22 13:37 -0800
      Re: Python Newbie Mitya Sirenef <msirenef@lightbird.net> - 2013-02-22 20:05 -0500
  Re: Python Newbie Gene Heskett <gheskett@wdtv.com> - 2013-02-23 12:32 -0500
  Re: Python Newbie Steve Simmons <square.steve@gmail.com> - 2013-02-23 19:10 +0100
  Re: Python Newbie Michael Torrie <torriem@gmail.com> - 2013-02-23 11:40 -0700
  Re: Python Newbie Michael Torrie <torriem@gmail.com> - 2013-02-23 12:15 -0700
  Re: Python Newbie Gene Heskett <gheskett@wdtv.com> - 2013-02-23 17:49 -0500
  Re: Python Newbie Nick Mellor <thebalancepro@gmail.com> - 2013-02-25 19:37 -0800

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