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To: python-list@python.org
From: Terry Jan Reedy <tjreedy@udel.edu>
Subject: Re: Newbie: question regarding references and class relationships
Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2013 18:07:15 -0400
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On 6/10/2013 4:13 PM, Rui Maciel wrote:
> Terry Jan Reedy wrote:
>
>> Three answers:
>> Look how much trouble it has already caused ;-)
>> Since you are a self-declared newbie, believe us!
>> Since, be definition, useless code can do no good, it can only cause
>> trouble. Think about it.
>
> I don't doubt that there might good reasons for that, but it is always
> preferable to get the rationale behind a decision to be able to understand
> how things work and how to do things properly.

I agree actually. But sometimes is it hard to articulate 'good reasons' 
for a principle based on the integration of over a decade of experience. 
I was really trying to point to the difference between

'I will not accept the experience-based advice until enough good reasons 
are presented.' and

'I will provisionally accept the advice but I would still like to know why.'

Another principle similar to 'Don't add extraneous code' is 'Don't 
rebind builtins*'. I have a separate post for that.

Terry