Path: csiph.com!x330-a1.tempe.blueboxinc.net!usenet.pasdenom.info!gegeweb.org!de-l.enfer-du-nord.net!feeder1.enfer-du-nord.net!txtfeed1.tudelft.nl!tudelft.nl!txtfeed2.tudelft.nl!amsnews11.chello.com!newsgate.cistron.nl!newsgate.news.xs4all.nl!post.news.xs4all.nl!not-for-mail
Return-Path: <python-python-list@m.gmane.org>
X-Original-To: python-list@python.org
Delivered-To: python-list@mail.python.org
X-Spam-Status: OK 0.002
X-Spam-Evidence: '*H*': 1.00; '*S*': 0.00; 'subject:while': 0.07; 'python': 0.08; 'loop.': 0.09; 'received:80.91': 0.09; 'received:80.91.229': 0.09; 'received:80.91.229.12': 0.09; 'received:gmane.org': 0.09; 'received:list': 0.09; 'received:lo.gmane.org': 0.09; '"while': 0.16; '"with"': 0.16; 'habit.': 0.16; 'lines),': 0.16; 'wrote:': 0.16; '2.2': 0.18; "they've": 0.18; 'jan': 0.19; '(which': 0.19; 'literal': 0.23; 'string': 0.24; 'code': 0.25; 'suggestion': 0.25; '"the': 0.26; 'skip:p 30': 0.29; 'sun,': 0.30; "i've": 0.31; 'version': 0.31; 'received:24': 0.32; 'break': 0.32; 'list': 0.32; 'header:User- Agent:1': 0.33; 'to:addr:python-list': 0.33; 'loop': 0.34; 'too': 0.34; 'statement,': 0.34; 'typical': 0.34; 'header:X-Complaints- To:1': 0.34; 'received:org': 0.37; 'could': 0.37; 'steven': 0.38; 'mailing': 0.38; 'subject:: ': 0.39; 'to:addr:python.org': 0.40; 'believe': 0.65; 'lost': 0.68; 'soon': 0.71; 'idiom': 0.84; 'temperature': 0.93
X-Injected-Via-Gmane: http://gmane.org/
To: python-list@python.org
From: Dan Sommers <dan@tombstonezero.net>
Subject: Re: while True or while 1
Date: Sun, 22 Jan 2012 16:05:51 +0000 (UTC)
References: <4F1AC1D4.2080402@gmail.com> <mailman.4909.1327157944.27778.python-list@python.org> <pL-dnUjq2eH3t4bSnZ2dnUVZ5vudnZ2d@giganews.com> <mailman.4914.1327184007.27778.python-list@python.org> <4f1b9dc4$0$29987$c3e8da3$5496439d@news.astraweb.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
X-Gmane-NNTP-Posting-Host: 24.100.92.194
User-Agent: Pan/0.133 (House of Butterflies)
X-BeenThere: python-list@python.org
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.12
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.4925.1327248367.27778.python-list@python.org>
Lines: 29
NNTP-Posting-Host: 2001:888:2000:d::a6
X-Trace: 1327248367 news.xs4all.nl 6861 [2001:888:2000:d::a6]:33561
X-Complaints-To: abuse@xs4all.nl
Xref: x330-a1.tempe.blueboxinc.net comp.lang.python:19217

On Sun, 22 Jan 2012 05:25:25 +0000, Steven D'Aprano wrote:

> Or they've been writing Python code since before version 2.2 when True
> and False were introduced, and so they are used to the "while 1" idiom
> and never lost the habit.

That would be me.

As per a now-ancient suggestion on this mailing list (I believe it was by 
Tim Peters), I've also been known to use a non-empty, literal Python 
string as a self-documenting, forever-True value in the typical loop-and-a-
half cnstruct:

    while "the temperature is too big":
        temperature = get_temperature()
        if temperature <= threshold:
            break
        process_temperature(temperature)

This way, even though the loop condition is buried inside the loop (which 
could be longer than four lines), it is apparent as soon as I encounter 
the loop.

With the advent of the "with" statement, though, these loops are slowly 
disappearing.

-- 
Dan