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Re: is there any principle when writing python function

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On 8/27/2011 2:57 PM Ben Finney said...
> Emile van Sebille<emile@fenx.com>  writes:
>
>> Code is first and foremost written to be executed.
>


>      “Programs must be written for people to read, and only incidentally for
>      machines to execute.”
>      —Abelson&  Sussman, _Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs_
>

That's certainly self-fulfilling -- code that doesn't execute will need 
to be read to be understood, and to be fixed so that it does run. 
Nobody cares about code not intended to be executed.  Pretty it up as 
much as you have free time to do so to enlighten your intended audience.

Code that runs from the offset may not ever again need to be read, so 
the only audience will ever be the processor.

I find it much to easy to waste enormous amounts of time prettying up 
code that works.  Pretty it up when it doesn't -- that's the code that 
needs the attention.

Emile



> Yes, the primary *function* of the code you write is for it to
> eventually execute. But the primary *audience* of the text you type into
> your buffer is not the computer, but the humans who will read it. That's
> what must be foremost in your mind while writing that text.
>

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is there any principle when writing python function smith jack <thinke365@gmail.com> - 2011-08-23 19:59 +0800
  Re: is there any principle when writing python function Peter Otten <__peter__@web.de> - 2011-08-23 14:20 +0200
    Re: is there any principle when writing python function Roy Smith <roy@panix.com> - 2011-08-23 08:56 -0400
  Re: is there any principle when writing python function Mel <mwilson@the-wire.com> - 2011-08-23 08:53 -0400
  Re: is there any principle when writing python function Roy Smith <roy@panix.com> - 2011-08-23 08:55 -0400
  Re: is there any principle when writing python function Ulrich Eckhardt <ulrich.eckhardt@dominolaser.com> - 2011-08-23 15:00 +0200
  Re: is there any principle when writing python function Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2011-08-24 01:22 +1000
    Re: is there any principle when writing python function Terry Reedy <tjreedy@udel.edu> - 2011-08-23 14:29 -0400
      Re: is there any principle when writing python function rantingrick <rantingrick@gmail.com> - 2011-08-23 13:22 -0700
      Re: is there any principle when writing python function Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2011-08-24 11:44 +1000
  Re: is there any principle when writing python function Seebs <usenet-nospam@seebs.net> - 2011-08-23 16:53 +0000
  Re: is there any principle when writing python function rantingrick <rantingrick@gmail.com> - 2011-08-23 10:02 -0700
    Re: is there any principle when writing python function alex23 <wuwei23@gmail.com> - 2011-08-23 20:05 -0700
    Re: is there any principle when writing python function alex23 <wuwei23@gmail.com> - 2011-08-23 20:08 -0700
      Re: is there any principle when writing python function Red John <redjohn367@gmail.com> - 2011-08-24 16:29 -0700
  Re: is there any principle when writing python function ting@thsu.org - 2011-08-25 22:20 -0700
    Re: is there any principle when writing python function Roy Smith <roy@panix.com> - 2011-08-26 07:15 -0400
      Re: is there any principle when writing python function rantingrick <rantingrick@gmail.com> - 2011-08-26 08:20 -0700
        Re: is there any principle when writing python function John Gordon <gordon@panix.com> - 2011-08-26 15:40 +0000
          Re: is there any principle when writing python function rantingrick <rantingrick@gmail.com> - 2011-08-26 11:05 -0700
            Re: is there any principle when writing python function Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2011-08-27 07:45 +1000
              Re: is there any principle when writing python function rantingrick <rantingrick@gmail.com> - 2011-08-26 15:26 -0700
              Re: is there any principle when writing python function Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2011-08-27 11:26 +1000
                Re: is there any principle when writing python function Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2011-08-27 11:37 +1000
              Re: is there any principle when writing python function Roy Smith <roy@panix.com> - 2011-08-27 12:41 -0400
                Re: is there any principle when writing python function Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2011-08-28 02:57 +1000
                Re: is there any principle when writing python function Emile van Sebille <emile@fenx.com> - 2011-08-27 10:27 -0700
                Re: is there any principle when writing python function Ben Finney <ben+python@benfinney.id.au> - 2011-08-28 07:57 +1000
                Re: is there any principle when writing python function Emile van Sebille <emile@fenx.com> - 2011-08-27 15:21 -0700
                Re: is there any principle when writing python function rantingrick <rantingrick@gmail.com> - 2011-08-27 16:01 -0700
                Re: is there any principle when writing python function Roy Smith <roy@panix.com> - 2011-08-27 19:09 -0400
                Re: is there any principle when writing python function Stephen Hansen <me+list/python@ixokai.io> - 2011-08-27 16:27 -0700
                Re: is there any principle when writing python function Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2011-08-28 03:31 +1000
                Re: is there any principle when writing python function Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2011-08-28 06:27 +1000
                Re: is there any principle when writing python function Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2011-08-28 06:38 +1000
                Re: is there any principle when writing python function Roy Smith <roy@panix.com> - 2011-08-27 17:09 -0400
        Re: is there any principle when writing python function Tobiah <tobiah@teranews.com> - 2011-08-26 08:48 -0700
          Re: is there any principle when writing python function Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2011-08-27 02:10 +1000
            Re: is there any principle when writing python function Neil Cerutti <neilc@norwich.edu> - 2011-08-29 14:52 +0000
              Re: is there any principle when writing python function Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2011-08-30 04:20 +1000
                Re: is there any principle when writing python function Neil Cerutti <neilc@norwich.edu> - 2011-08-29 18:40 +0000
                Re: is there any principle when writing python function Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2011-08-30 05:02 +1000
                For some value of “sing” (was: is there any principle when writing python function) Ben Finney <ben+python@benfinney.id.au> - 2011-08-30 08:17 +1000
                Re: is there any principle when writing python function Dennis Lee Bieber <wlfraed@ix.netcom.com> - 2011-08-29 23:20 -0700
          Re: is there any principle when writing python function Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2011-08-27 04:16 +1000
            Re: is there any principle when writing python function rantingrick <rantingrick@gmail.com> - 2011-08-26 15:37 -0700
  Re: is there any principle when writing python function harrismh777 <harmar@member.fsf.org> - 2011-08-27 23:51 -0500

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