Re: Python Newbie

Path	csiph.com!usenet.pasdenom.info!weretis.net!feeder1.news.weretis.net!feeder.erje.net!eu.feeder.erje.net!xlned.com!feeder1.xlned.com!newsfeed.xs4all.nl!newsfeed1.news.xs4all.nl!xs4all!newsgate.cistron.nl!newsgate.news.xs4all.nl!post.news.xs4all.nl!not-for-mail
Return-Path	<rosuav@gmail.com>
X-Original-To	python-list@python.org
Delivered-To	python-list@mail.python.org
X-Spam-Status	OK 0.047
X-Spam-Evidence	'H': 0.91; 'S': 0.00; 'subject:Python': 0.05; 'msg': 0.07; 'correct,': 0.09; 'facts': 0.09; 'do,': 0.15; '"ambiguous': 0.16; 'assumptions': 0.16; 'blanket': 0.16; 'dictionary.': 0.16; 'from:addr:rosuav': 0.16; 'from:name:chris angelico': 0.16; 'inputs': 0.16; 'wed,': 0.16; 'wrote:': 0.17; 'feb': 0.19; 'random': 0.24; 'header:In-Reply-To:1': 0.25; '(which': 0.26; 'am,': 0.27; 'done.': 0.27; 'message- id:@mail.gmail.com': 0.27; "doesn't": 0.28; 'piece': 0.29; 'query': 0.30; 'error': 0.30; 'could': 0.32; 'asked': 0.33; 'mixed': 0.33; 'to:addr:python-list': 0.33; 'received:google.com': 0.34; 'wrong': 0.34; 'clear': 0.35; 'received:209.85': 0.35; 'there': 0.35; 'but': 0.36; 'alone': 0.36; 'should': 0.36; 'received:209': 0.37; 'subject:: ': 0.38; 'some': 0.38; 'nothing': 0.38; 'to:addr:python.org': 0.39; 'think': 0.40; 'your': 0.60; 'first': 0.61; 'strange': 0.62; 'more': 0.63; 'enjoy': 0.67; 'saw': 0.75; '100%': 0.76; '2013': 0.84; 'control)': 0.84; 'laughed': 0.84; 'reminds': 0.84; 'technically': 0.91; 'incredibly': 0.96
DKIM-Signature	v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20120113; h=mime-version:x-received:in-reply-to:references:date:message-id :subject:from:to:content-type; bh=L4ykdWKLgFHyu4so0kBGE54xVlihuSe5AIC793GMB78=; b=TOPwWvAEgCuDMnnZDhOi9zbL5RqP8EBV/76BakKP6q7UAr3ogLQbH2MFqB4ZUoX1sA CazC0j8vJw81Lu+anNKghmxdOZpnWpSMo/4jjJgyjqUe7Gw7QeSwIf4g75BmUEyzc8oY SKbkERiiduDbKkpt295whVm8hONg22clQ9E3N/gkwVb5JVDenZJvYiYt72DvL3ykq/+n d0mlP5O4R9jE4r0IPRzdIWQctrZPOMoNxoE4upZXvQgxkTTpAHzBo6fHWTeDtC2RPw1a Qv3xEYbv58oDZvN++Fvppqft4j+gRoj1LLAjiIWvxtCv4K+SzgxPLsdwjaqOv0+euHul AgBw==
MIME-Version	1.0
X-Received	by 10.58.50.7 with SMTP id y7mr12867468ven.24.1361912236182; Tue, 26 Feb 2013 12:57:16 -0800 (PST)
In-Reply-To	<we8Xs.273163$5F3.16674@fx21.fr7>
References	<mailman.2567.1361905815.2939.python-list@python.org> <we8Xs.273163$5F3.16674@fx21.fr7>
Date	Wed, 27 Feb 2013 07:57:15 +1100
Subject	Re: Python Newbie
From	Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com>
To	python-list@python.org
Content-Type	text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
X-BeenThere	python-list@python.org
X-Mailman-Version	2.1.15
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.2576.1361912238.2939.python-list@python.org> (permalink)
Lines	21
NNTP-Posting-Host	2001:888:2000:d::a6
X-Trace	1361912238 news.xs4all.nl 6891 [2001:888:2000:d::a6]:50152
X-Complaints-To	abuse@xs4all.nl
Xref	csiph.com comp.lang.python:40006

Show key headers only | View raw

On Wed, Feb 27, 2013 at 6:42 AM, Piterrr <piotrekd@optonline.net> wrote:
> This reminds me, when I first started working with databases and saw an
> error msg which said that my query had "ambiguous columns" I laughed for 1/2
> hr. I found it incredibly exitaining that a 100% deterministic piece of
> hardware could have the word "ambiguous" in its internal dictionary.

Enjoy your laugh (laughter's good!), but there are a couple of wrong
assumptions here. The hardware doesn't use the word "ambiguous", and
the SQL engine (which is what does) isn't 100% deterministic. Or to be
more technically correct, it's 100% deterministic with such a large
set of inputs (many of which are outside your access, let alone
control) that it may as well have a random component.  Also, there's
nothing strange about ambiguity: "Go and get the cornflour and the
icing sugar. Put some of it into the cake mix." - what should you put
in? Some of each? That's what the database has been asked to do, and
it's not clear what should be done.

Sorry to be the wet blanket on your joke (I think that metaphor's as
mixed as cake batter), but facts is facts :)

ChrisA

Back to comp.lang.python | Previous | Next — Previous in thread | Find similar | Unroll thread

Thread

Re: Python Newbie Jean-Michel Pichavant <jeanmichel@sequans.com> - 2013-02-26 20:09 +0100
  Re: Python Newbie "Piterrr" <piotrekd@optonline.net> - 2013-02-26 19:42 +0000
    Re: Python Newbie Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2013-02-27 07:57 +1100

csiph-web