Path: csiph.com!x330-a1.tempe.blueboxinc.net!usenet.pasdenom.info!weretis.net!feeder1.news.weretis.net!feeder.erje.net!newsfeed.xs4all.nl!newsfeed5.news.xs4all.nl!xs4all!newsgate.cistron.nl!newsgate.news.xs4all.nl!post.news.xs4all.nl!not-for-mail Return-Path: X-Original-To: python-list@python.org Delivered-To: python-list@mail.python.org X-Spam-Status: OK 0.001 X-Spam-Evidence: '*H*': 1.00; '*S*': 0.00; 'operator': 0.04; ':-)': 0.06; 'function,': 0.07; 'python': 0.08; 'from:addr:python': 0.09; 'way;': 0.09; 'subject:was': 0.15; 'alex23': 0.16; 'calculating': 0.16; 'confusing.': 0.16; 'design;': 0.16; 'eg.': 0.16; 'from:addr:mrabarnett.plus.com': 0.16; 'from:name:mrab': 0.16; 'message-id:@mrabarnett.plus.com': 0.16; 'pep.': 0.16; 'pythonic': 0.16; 'received:84.92': 0.16; 'received:84.92.122': 0.16; 'received:84.92.122.60': 0.16; 'reply-to:addr:python-list': 0.16; 'subject: \n ': 0.16; 'subject:syntax': 0.16; 'utterly': 0.16; 'language': 0.17; 'wrote:': 0.18; 'subject:not': 0.21; 'header:In- Reply-To:1': 0.22; 'defined': 0.24; "i'm": 0.26; 'language.': 0.28; 'anyone': 0.31; 'certainly': 0.32; 'subject:]': 0.32; 'header:User-Agent:1': 0.33; 'rather': 0.33; 'to:addr:python- list': 0.34; 'received:84': 0.34; 'reply-to:addr:python.org': 0.34; 'but': 0.37; 'could': 0.37; "it's": 0.40; 'to:addr:python.org': 0.40; 'more': 0.61; 'back': 0.62; 'luck': 0.68; 'header:Reply-To:1': 0.71; 'reply-to:no real name:2**0': 0.72; 'beats': 0.84; 'circles': 0.84; 'tie': 0.84; 'poorly': 0.91 X-CM-Score: 0.00 X-CNFS-Analysis: v=2.0 cv=JaQ+XD2V c=1 sm=1 a=0nF1XD0wxitMEM03M9B4ZQ==:17 a=9jsOeB20M3cA:10 a=VecXKymJimIA:10 a=OUOv7kDek9cA:10 a=8nJEP1OIZ-IA:10 a=pGLkceISAAAA:8 a=dgtq_OGxq51PX2tjK-YA:9 a=8ioc-fnpXvFEJxzQzP8A:7 a=wPNLvfGTeEIA:10 a=MSl-tDqOz04A:10 a=0nF1XD0wxitMEM03M9B4ZQ==:117 X-AUTH: mrabarnett:2500 Date: Fri, 16 Dec 2011 02:58:40 +0000 From: MRAB User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 5.1; rv:8.0) Gecko/20111105 Thunderbird/8.0 MIME-Version: 1.0 To: python-list@python.org Subject: Re: % is not an operator [was Re: Verbose and flexible args and kwargs syntax] References: <4ee81592$0$11091$c3e8da3@news.astraweb.com> <4ee89762$0$29979$c3e8da3$5496439d@news.astraweb.com> In-Reply-To: Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-BeenThere: python-list@python.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.12 Precedence: list Reply-To: python-list@python.org List-Id: General discussion list for the Python programming language List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Newsgroups: comp.lang.python Message-ID: Lines: 24 NNTP-Posting-Host: 2001:888:2000:d::a6 X-Trace: 1324004291 news.xs4all.nl 6851 [2001:888:2000:d::a6]:36611 X-Complaints-To: abuse@xs4all.nl Xref: x330-a1.tempe.blueboxinc.net comp.lang.python:17326 On 16/12/2011 02:14, alex23 wrote: > Eelco wrote: >> To tie it back in with python language design; all the more reason >> not to opt for pseudo-backwards compatibility. If python wants a >> remainder function, call it 'remainder'. Not 'rem', not 'mod', and >> certainly not '%'. Python has "def", "del", "int", "str", "len", and so on. "rem" or "mod" (Ada has both, I believe) would be in keeping with the language. > > Good luck with the PEP. > >> Its the more pythonic way; a self-describing name, rather than >> poorly defined or poorly understood cryptology. > > "Although practicality beats purity." > > I'm still utterly agog that anyone finds the operator % confusing. In financial circles it could be an operator for calculating percentages, eg. "5 % x" would be 5 percent of x. It's an oddity, but an established one. :-)