Re: I love assert

From	Marko Rauhamaa <marko@pacujo.net>
Newsgroups	comp.lang.python
Subject	Re: I love assert
Date	2014-11-15 02:12 +0200
Organization	A noiseless patient Spider
Message-ID	<87h9y1l3tt.fsf@elektro.pacujo.net> (permalink)
References	(6 earlier) <0cdc67f4-d9d5-4a73-91fe-7558161246af@googlegroups.com> <mailman.15750.1415832125.18130.python-list@python.org> <28e159ff-3d64-4793-9082-05cf1553c7c2@googlegroups.com> <87h9y4owgc.fsf@elektro.pacujo.net> <54669308$0$13002$c3e8da3$5496439d@news.astraweb.com>

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Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info>:

> Marko Rauhamaa wrote:
>
>> Asserts are not about notification, checking or optimization. They are
>> about communicating what's going on in the programmer's mind. They are
>> comments.
>
> Assertions can be used for *all of these things*.
>
> Assertions can be used for:
>
> - checking internal program logic;
> - testing pre- and post-conditions;
> - testing program invariants;
> - comments which are verified at runtime;

Most importantly, assertion failures are not supposed to be recovered
from (within the program). Assertion failures can result in the loss of
life and limb. They can result in database corruption. They can result
in monetary losses. They can result in smoke coming out of the monitor.

That's because the programmer is in no way prepared for the assertion to
fail and cannot rely on the assertions to really be checked.

IOW, assertions are not a mechanism for fault-tolerant programming.

Marko

Thread

I love assert Peter Cacioppi <peter.cacioppi@gmail.com> - 2014-11-11 11:40 -0800
  Re: I love assert Ben Finney <ben+python@benfinney.id.au> - 2014-11-12 07:03 +1100
    Re: I love assert Grant Edwards <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2014-11-11 21:43 +0000
  Re: I love assert Ethan Furman <ethan@stoneleaf.us> - 2014-11-11 12:08 -0800
  Re: I love assert Rob Gaddi <rgaddi@technologyhighland.invalid> - 2014-11-11 12:20 -0800
  Re: I love assert Mark Lawrence <breamoreboy@yahoo.co.uk> - 2014-11-11 20:34 +0000
  Re: I love assert TP <wingusr@gmail.com> - 2014-11-11 12:57 -0800
  Re: I love assert Terry Reedy <tjreedy@udel.edu> - 2014-11-11 17:34 -0500
  Re: I love assert Ben Finney <ben+python@benfinney.id.au> - 2014-11-12 09:52 +1100
  Re: I love assert Tim Chase <python.list@tim.thechases.com> - 2014-11-11 17:03 -0600
  Re: I love assert Peter Cacioppi <peter.cacioppi@gmail.com> - 2014-11-11 15:02 -0800
  Re: I love assert Ethan Furman <ethan@stoneleaf.us> - 2014-11-11 15:38 -0800
  Re: I love assert Dan Stromberg <drsalists@gmail.com> - 2014-11-11 17:56 -0800
  Re: I love assert Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2014-11-12 13:21 +1100
  Re: I love assert Ben Finney <ben+python@benfinney.id.au> - 2014-11-12 13:35 +1100
    Re: I love assert Grant Edwards <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2014-11-12 14:10 +0000
  Re: I love assert Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2014-11-12 13:44 +1100
    Re: I love assert wxjmfauth@gmail.com - 2014-11-11 23:14 -0800
  Re: I love assert Terry Reedy <tjreedy@udel.edu> - 2014-11-12 03:29 -0500
  Re: I love assert Anton <anton.schattenfeld@gmail.com> - 2014-11-12 12:53 -0800
    Re: I love assert Marko Rauhamaa <marko@pacujo.net> - 2014-11-12 23:41 +0200
      Re: I love assert Ethan Furman <ethan@stoneleaf.us> - 2014-11-12 13:52 -0800
        Re: I love assert Marko Rauhamaa <marko@pacujo.net> - 2014-11-12 23:56 +0200
          Re: I love assert Ian Kelly <ian.g.kelly@gmail.com> - 2014-11-12 15:04 -0700
            Re: I love assert Anton <anschatten@gmail.com> - 2014-11-12 14:13 -0800
              Re: I love assert Ian Kelly <ian.g.kelly@gmail.com> - 2014-11-12 15:41 -0700
                Re: I love assert Anton <anschatten@gmail.com> - 2014-11-12 14:48 -0800
                Re: I love assert Marko Rauhamaa <marko@pacujo.net> - 2014-11-13 01:01 +0200
                Re: I love assert Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2014-11-15 10:40 +1100
                Re: I love assert Marko Rauhamaa <marko@pacujo.net> - 2014-11-15 02:12 +0200
                Re: I love assert Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2014-11-15 12:04 +1100
                Re: I love assert Marko Rauhamaa <marko@pacujo.net> - 2014-11-15 03:30 +0200
                Re: I love assert Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2014-11-15 12:48 +1100
                Re: I love assert Tim Chase <python.list@tim.thechases.com> - 2014-11-14 20:14 -0600
                Re: I love assert Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2014-11-15 13:16 +1100
                Re: I love assert albert@spenarnc.xs4all.nl (Albert van der Horst) - 2014-11-29 17:35 +0000
                Re: I love assert Ian Kelly <ian.g.kelly@gmail.com> - 2014-11-12 16:02 -0700
                Re: I love assert Anton <anschatten@gmail.com> - 2014-11-12 15:43 -0800
                Re: I love assert Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2014-11-13 10:10 +1100
                Re: I love assert Marko Rauhamaa <marko@pacujo.net> - 2014-11-13 01:23 +0200
                Re: I love assert Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2014-11-13 10:27 +1100
                Re: I love assert Marko Rauhamaa <marko@pacujo.net> - 2014-11-13 01:31 +0200
              Re: I love assert Ethan Furman <ethan@stoneleaf.us> - 2014-11-12 14:47 -0800
                Re: I love assert Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2014-11-14 22:37 +1100
                Re: I love assert Ian Kelly <ian.g.kelly@gmail.com> - 2014-11-14 09:40 -0700
          Re: I love assert Ian Kelly <ian.g.kelly@gmail.com> - 2014-11-12 15:07 -0700
            Re: I love assert Marko Rauhamaa <marko@pacujo.net> - 2014-11-13 00:47 +0200
              Re: I love assert Ethan Furman <ethan@stoneleaf.us> - 2014-11-12 14:56 -0800
              Re: I love assert Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2014-11-13 09:58 +1100
              Re: I love assert Ian Kelly <ian.g.kelly@gmail.com> - 2014-11-12 16:05 -0700
                Re: I love assert Marko Rauhamaa <marko@pacujo.net> - 2014-11-13 01:12 +0200
              Re: I love assert Lie Ryan <lie.1296@gmail.com> - 2014-11-14 01:09 +1100
        Re: I love assert Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2014-11-14 22:33 +1100
          Re: I love assert Ethan Furman <ethan@stoneleaf.us> - 2014-11-14 10:18 -0800
            Re: I love assert Marko Rauhamaa <marko@pacujo.net> - 2014-11-14 21:12 +0200
              Re: I love assert Ethan Furman <ethan@stoneleaf.us> - 2014-11-14 12:41 -0800
                Re: I love assert Marko Rauhamaa <marko@pacujo.net> - 2014-11-14 22:50 +0200
            Re: I love assert Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2014-11-15 13:58 +1100
              Re: I love assert Ethan Furman <ethan@stoneleaf.us> - 2014-11-14 20:09 -0800
                Re: I love assert Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2014-11-17 13:09 +1100
                Re: I love assert Ethan Furman <ethan@stoneleaf.us> - 2014-11-16 19:25 -0800
      Re: I love assert Anton <anschatten@gmail.com> - 2014-11-12 14:00 -0800
        Re: I love assert Anton <anschatten@gmail.com> - 2014-11-12 14:04 -0800
          Re: I love assert Marko Rauhamaa <marko@pacujo.net> - 2014-11-13 00:34 +0200
    Re: I love assert Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2014-11-13 09:43 +1100
  Re: I love assert Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2014-11-14 22:15 +1100
  Re: I love assert Richard Riehle <rriehle@itu.edu> - 2014-11-14 14:09 -0800
    Decorators (was: Re: I love assert) Marko Rauhamaa <marko@pacujo.net> - 2014-11-15 00:18 +0200
      Re: Decorators Mark Lawrence <breamoreboy@yahoo.co.uk> - 2014-11-14 22:37 +0000
        Re: Decorators Marko Rauhamaa <marko@pacujo.net> - 2014-11-15 00:47 +0200
      Re: Decorators (was: Re: I love assert) Richard Riehle <rriehle@itu.edu> - 2014-11-14 18:19 -0800
        Re: Decorators (was: Re: I love assert) Mayank Tripathi <oquanox@gmail.com> - 2014-11-15 02:36 +0000
        Re: Decorators (was: Re: I love assert) Tim Chase <python.list@tim.thechases.com> - 2014-11-14 20:30 -0600
          Re: Decorators Marko Rauhamaa <marko@pacujo.net> - 2014-11-15 09:00 +0200
            Re: Decorators Grant Edwards <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2014-11-15 15:32 +0000
        Re: Decorators (was: Re: I love assert) Richard Riehle <rriehle@itu.edu> - 2014-11-14 23:42 -0800
        Re: Decorators Mark Lawrence <breamoreboy@yahoo.co.uk> - 2014-11-15 13:12 +0000
          Re: Decorators Marko Rauhamaa <marko@pacujo.net> - 2014-11-15 15:24 +0200
            Re: Decorators Terry Reedy <tjreedy@udel.edu> - 2014-11-15 15:28 -0500
        Re: Decorators (was: Re: I love assert) Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2014-11-16 02:39 +1100
  Re: I love assert TP <wingusr@gmail.com> - 2014-11-27 01:22 -0800
    Re: I love assert alister <alister.nospam.ware@ntlworld.com> - 2014-11-27 09:59 +0000
      Re: I love assert Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2014-11-29 12:30 +1100
        Re: I love assert MRAB <python@mrabarnett.plus.com> - 2014-11-29 02:56 +0000
          Re: I love assert Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2014-11-29 20:31 +1100
            Re: I love assert Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2014-11-29 21:40 +1100
            Re: I love assert MRAB <python@mrabarnett.plus.com> - 2014-11-29 19:49 +0000
        Re: I love assert Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2014-11-29 14:02 +1100
        Re: I love assert Ethan Furman <ethan@stoneleaf.us> - 2014-11-29 14:33 -0800
          Re: I love assert Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2014-11-30 19:18 +1100
            Re: I love assert Ethan Furman <ethan@stoneleaf.us> - 2014-11-30 11:34 -0800

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