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Date: Tue, 27 Nov 2012 00:27:53 -0500
From: Dave Angel <d@davea.name>
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To: Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info>
Subject: Re: Python dictionaries are awesome
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On 11/26/2012 09:32 PM, Steven D'Aprano wrote:
> ... especially when you consider how some other languages implement them.
>
>
> http://twistedoakgames.com/blog/?p=925
>
> [quote]
> Here’s the hypothetical situation: you’re making a flash game. In that 
> game users can create named profiles. You store the profiles, keyed by 
> their name, so that you ca- OOPS, you just introduced a bug. What’s the 
> problem? The dictionary.
> [end quote]
>
>

(facetious)
Whenever someone tries to create a username that happens to conflict
with a pre-existing attribute, just tell them that username is already
taken.  Just watch out when your user HasOwnProperty tries to delete his
account.
(/facetious)

Namespaces are great, we should have lots of them.  But be very careful
about reusing one without checking to see if it's already inhabited.

When a language design does this sort of thing, it tends to make us
skittish about continuing use of said language.

-- 

DaveA