Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax

Date	2011-12-17 21:03 -0600
From	Evan Driscoll <edriscoll@wisc.edu>
Subject	Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax
References	<841f4d29-f50b-4b0b-912b-b497fb6e60ec@t16g2000vba.googlegroups.com> <4eed3b00$0$29979$c3e8da3$5496439d@news.astraweb.com> <CAPTjJmr2+CPjM7am1d8c9rFdTXnK5HFGpAAN=cj6DqPj5YYVuQ@mail.gmail.com>
Newsgroups	comp.lang.python
Message-ID	<mailman.3775.1324177431.27778.python-list@python.org> (permalink)

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On 12/17/2011 20:45, Chris Angelico wrote:
> I'd go stronger than "usually" there. If "1"+1 results in "11", then
> that's not weak typing but rather a convenient syntax for
> stringification - if every object can (or must) provide a to-string
> method, and concatenating anything to a string causes it to be
> stringified, then it's still strongly typed.
>
> Or is a rich set of automated type-conversion functions evidence of
> weak typing? And if so, then where is the line drawn - is upcasting of
> int to float weak?
>
> ChrisA
Sorry, I just subscribed to the list so am stepping in mid-conversation,
but "strong" vs "weak" typing does not have a particularly well-defined
meaning. There are at least three very different definitions you'll find
people use which are almost pairwise orthogonal in theory, if less so in
practice. There's a great mail to a Perl mailing list I've seen [1]
where someone lists *eight* definitions (albeit with a couple pairs of
definitions that are only slightly different).

I like to use it in the "automated conversion" sense, because I feel
like the other possible definitions are covered by other terms
(static/dynamic, and safe/unsafe). And in that sense, I think that
thinking of languages as "strong" *or* "weak" is a misnomer; it's a
spectrum. (Actually even a spectrum is simplifying things -- it's more
like a partial order.)

Something like ML or Haskell, which does not even allow integer to
double promotions, is very strong typing. Something like Java, which
allows some arithmetic conversion and also automatic stringification (a
la "1" + 1) is somewhere in the middle of the spectrum. Personally I'd
put Python even weaker on account of things such as '[1,2]*2' and '1 <
True' being allowed, but on the other hand it doesn't allow "1"+1.

Evan

[1]
http://groups.google.com/group/comp.lang.perl.moderated/msg/89b5f256ea7bfadb
(though I don't think I've seen all of those)

Thread

Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Eelco <hoogendoorn.eelco@gmail.com> - 2011-12-17 06:38 -0800
  Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2011-12-17 17:00 +0000
    Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Roy Smith <roy@panix.com> - 2011-12-17 12:14 -0500
      Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2011-12-18 04:18 +1100
        Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Eelco <hoogendoorn.eelco@gmail.com> - 2011-12-17 12:11 -0800
          Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2011-12-17 23:20 +0000
  Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2011-12-18 00:59 +0000
    Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2011-12-18 13:45 +1100
      Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2011-12-18 03:33 +0000
        Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Roy Smith <roy@panix.com> - 2011-12-17 22:59 -0500
          Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2011-12-18 15:05 +1100
    Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Evan Driscoll <edriscoll@wisc.edu> - 2011-12-17 21:03 -0600
      Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2011-12-18 08:46 +0000
    Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Evan Driscoll <edriscoll@wisc.edu> - 2011-12-17 21:08 -0600
    Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2011-12-18 14:42 +1100
    Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Evan Driscoll <edriscoll@wisc.edu> - 2011-12-17 22:43 -0600
    Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2011-12-18 16:00 +1100
    Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Eelco <hoogendoorn.eelco@gmail.com> - 2011-12-18 06:13 -0800
      Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2011-12-18 17:03 +0000
        Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Eelco <hoogendoorn.eelco@gmail.com> - 2011-12-18 09:40 -0800
  Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax buck <workitharder@gmail.com> - 2011-12-17 20:52 -0800
    Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2011-12-18 16:21 +1100
    Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Evan Driscoll <edriscoll@wisc.edu> - 2011-12-17 23:33 -0600
      Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2011-12-18 07:31 +0000
        Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2011-12-18 19:43 +1100
          Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Roy Smith <roy@panix.com> - 2011-12-18 08:58 -0500
            Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2011-12-19 01:06 +1100
        Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Evan Driscoll <edriscoll@wisc.edu> - 2011-12-18 13:56 -0600
          Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Duncan Booth <duncan.booth@invalid.invalid> - 2011-12-19 15:23 +0000
      Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2011-12-18 08:36 +0000
        Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Evan Driscoll <edriscoll@wisc.edu> - 2011-12-18 13:47 -0600
          Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2011-12-19 01:26 +0000
            Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Rick Johnson <rantingrickjohnson@gmail.com> - 2011-12-18 18:16 -0800
              Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Andrew Berg <bahamutzero8825@gmail.com> - 2011-12-19 15:57 -0600
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Roy Smith <roy@panix.com> - 2011-12-19 19:30 -0500
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Andrew Berg <bahamutzero8825@gmail.com> - 2011-12-19 19:41 -0600
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax alex23 <wuwei23@gmail.com> - 2011-12-19 19:38 -0800
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Andrew Berg <bahamutzero8825@gmail.com> - 2011-12-19 22:04 -0600
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2011-12-20 20:51 +0000
            Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Ian Kelly <ian.g.kelly@gmail.com> - 2011-12-18 20:00 -0700
              Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2011-12-19 03:36 +0000
      Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Eelco <hoogendoorn.eelco@gmail.com> - 2011-12-18 06:35 -0800
        Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Evan Driscoll <edriscoll@wisc.edu> - 2011-12-18 14:20 -0600
          Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax alex23 <wuwei23@gmail.com> - 2011-12-18 18:23 -0800
            Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2011-12-19 15:35 +1100
              Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax alex23 <wuwei23@gmail.com> - 2011-12-19 19:31 -0800
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2011-12-20 15:10 +1100
            Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Eelco <hoogendoorn.eelco@gmail.com> - 2011-12-19 02:15 -0800
              Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax alex23 <wuwei23@gmail.com> - 2011-12-19 19:30 -0800
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Eelco <hoogendoorn.eelco@gmail.com> - 2011-12-24 06:39 -0800
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax alex23 <wuwei23@gmail.com> - 2011-12-24 16:24 -0800
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Rick Johnson <rantingrickjohnson@gmail.com> - 2011-12-24 17:01 -0800
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Eelco <hoogendoorn.eelco@gmail.com> - 2011-12-25 06:45 -0800
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2011-12-25 13:12 +0000
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Eelco <hoogendoorn.eelco@gmail.com> - 2011-12-25 07:38 -0800
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2011-12-26 03:23 +1100
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Eelco <hoogendoorn.eelco@gmail.com> - 2011-12-26 12:58 -0800
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2011-12-27 08:05 +1100
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Eelco <hoogendoorn.eelco@gmail.com> - 2011-12-26 14:12 -0800
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2011-12-27 09:37 +1100
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2011-12-25 17:05 +0000
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Eelco <hoogendoorn.eelco@gmail.com> - 2011-12-26 13:41 -0800
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2011-12-27 22:57 +0000
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Eelco <hoogendoorn.eelco@gmail.com> - 2011-12-28 03:57 -0800
        Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Rick Johnson <rantingrickjohnson@gmail.com> - 2011-12-18 17:04 -0800
      Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Rick Johnson <rantingrickjohnson@gmail.com> - 2011-12-18 16:59 -0800
        Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Eelco <hoogendoorn.eelco@gmail.com> - 2011-12-19 02:20 -0800
          Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax alex23 <wuwei23@gmail.com> - 2011-12-19 19:35 -0800
            Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2011-12-20 05:47 +0000
              Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax alex23 <wuwei23@gmail.com> - 2011-12-19 22:39 -0800
              Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Serhiy Storchaka <storchaka@gmail.com> - 2011-12-20 11:58 +0200
              Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Eelco <hoogendoorn.eelco@gmail.com> - 2011-12-24 06:45 -0800
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2011-12-25 02:01 +1100
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Eelco <hoogendoorn.eelco@gmail.com> - 2011-12-24 09:23 -0800
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2011-12-25 04:51 +1100
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2011-12-25 12:50 +0000
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Eelco <hoogendoorn.eelco@gmail.com> - 2011-12-25 06:59 -0800
            Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Eelco <hoogendoorn.eelco@gmail.com> - 2011-12-24 06:41 -0800
          Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Neal Becker <ndbecker2@gmail.com> - 2011-12-21 10:48 -0500
            Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Eelco <hoogendoorn.eelco@gmail.com> - 2011-12-24 06:47 -0800
              Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2011-12-25 01:57 +1100
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Eelco <hoogendoorn.eelco@gmail.com> - 2011-12-24 09:21 -0800
              Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2011-12-25 13:13 +0000
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Eelco <hoogendoorn.eelco@gmail.com> - 2011-12-25 07:47 -0800
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2011-12-27 23:10 +0000
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Rick Johnson <rantingrickjohnson@gmail.com> - 2011-12-27 17:11 -0800
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Eelco <hoogendoorn.eelco@gmail.com> - 2011-12-28 04:05 -0800
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2011-12-28 15:06 +1100
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2011-12-28 06:25 +0000
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2011-12-28 18:08 +1100
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Eelco <hoogendoorn.eelco@gmail.com> - 2011-12-28 04:08 -0800
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Lie Ryan <lie.1296@gmail.com> - 2011-12-29 09:29 +1100
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Eelco <hoogendoorn.eelco@gmail.com> - 2011-12-29 03:55 -0800
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2011-12-29 13:23 +0000
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Eelco <hoogendoorn.eelco@gmail.com> - 2011-12-29 06:20 -0800
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Lie Ryan <lie.1296@gmail.com> - 2011-12-30 10:24 +1100
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2011-12-30 10:30 +1100
          Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Ethan Furman <ethan@stoneleaf.us> - 2011-12-21 08:33 -0800
    Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Evan Driscoll <edriscoll@wisc.edu> - 2011-12-17 23:54 -0600
    Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Eelco <hoogendoorn.eelco@gmail.com> - 2011-12-18 06:23 -0800
    Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Rick Johnson <rantingrickjohnson@gmail.com> - 2011-12-18 16:57 -0800
  Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Neal Becker <ndbecker2@gmail.com> - 2011-12-22 06:49 -0500
    Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2011-12-22 13:12 +0000
      Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2011-12-23 00:30 +1100
      Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Hans Mulder <hansmu@xs4all.nl> - 2011-12-22 15:13 +0100
        Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2011-12-23 01:30 +1100
          Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Mel Wilson <mwilson@the-wire.com> - 2011-12-22 10:06 -0500
      Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Eelco <hoogendoorn.eelco@gmail.com> - 2011-12-24 06:54 -0800
        Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2011-12-25 12:45 +0000
          Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Eelco <hoogendoorn.eelco@gmail.com> - 2011-12-25 06:55 -0800
            Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2011-12-25 16:15 +0000
              Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Eelco <hoogendoorn.eelco@gmail.com> - 2011-12-26 12:39 -0800
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2011-12-27 08:01 +1100
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Eelco <hoogendoorn.eelco@gmail.com> - 2011-12-26 13:51 -0800
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2011-12-27 09:27 +1100
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Eelco <hoogendoorn.eelco@gmail.com> - 2011-12-26 15:44 -0800
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2011-12-27 11:52 +1100
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Eelco <hoogendoorn.eelco@gmail.com> - 2011-12-27 02:01 -0800
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax alex23 <wuwei23@gmail.com> - 2012-01-02 18:38 -0800
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Rick Johnson <rantingrickjohnson@gmail.com> - 2012-01-02 21:39 -0800
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax alex23 <wuwei23@gmail.com> - 2012-01-02 23:01 -0800
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Eelco <hoogendoorn.eelco@gmail.com> - 2012-01-03 03:21 -0800
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2011-12-27 23:07 +0000
                Re: Pythonification of the asterisk-based collection packing/unpacking syntax Eelco <hoogendoorn.eelco@gmail.com> - 2011-12-28 04:04 -0800

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