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To: python-list@python.org
From: Terry Reedy <tjreedy@udel.edu>
Subject: Re: except clause syntax question
Date: Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:12:37 -0500
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Xref: x330-a1.tempe.blueboxinc.net comp.lang.python:19665

On 1/31/2012 8:57 AM, Charles Yeomans wrote:

> In any case, though I appreciate your attempt at a post hoc justification,
 > I was hoping for a positive explanation.

I think the best you are going to get is that Python somewhat 
consistently*, for both practical and historical reasons#, uses tuples 
when the syntax allows an object or collection of objects.

* except, isinstance, isubclass, ''%x, perhaps other places.

In the last case, that creates a problem when one wants to interpolate a 
tuple as an object rather than having it viewed as a container of 
several objects to be interpolated. That was on

# Python once treated tuples as different from lists in ways that is not 
true now. (Read the 1.5 docs if really interested.)

-- 
Terry Jan Reedy