Path: csiph.com!v102.xanadu-bbs.net!xanadu-bbs.net!backfill.erje.net!feeder.erje.net!eu.feeder.erje.net!ecngs!feeder2.ecngs.de!feeds.phibee-telecom.net!newsfeed.xs4all.nl!newsfeed2.news.xs4all.nl!xs4all!newsgate.cistron.nl!newsgate.news.xs4all.nl!post.news.xs4all.nl!not-for-mail
Return-Path: <rosuav@gmail.com>
X-Original-To: python-list@python.org
Delivered-To: python-list@mail.python.org
X-Spam-Status: OK 0.015
X-Spam-Evidence: '*H*': 0.97; '*S*': 0.00; 'read.': 0.03; 'subject:test': 0.09; 'cc:addr:python-list': 0.11; '24,': 0.16; '36,': 0.16; 'beta)': 0.16; 'from:addr:rosuav': 0.16; 'from:name:chris angelico': 0.16; 'readability': 0.16; 'sheer': 0.16; 'skip:[ 30': 0.16; 'followed': 0.16; 'wrote:': 0.18; 'cc:addr:python.org': 0.22; 'error': 0.23; 'cc:2**0': 0.24; 'header:In-Reply-To:1': 0.27; '(this': 0.29; 'wonder': 0.29; 'message-id:@mail.gmail.com': 0.30; 'code': 0.31; "d'aprano": 0.31; 'steven': 0.31; 'fri,': 0.33; 'problem': 0.35; 'skip:s 30': 0.35; 'received:google.com': 0.35; 'pm,': 0.38; 'weight': 0.39; 'is.': 0.60; 'course': 0.61; 'complexity': 0.84; 'idiom': 0.84; 'subject::': 0.85; 'to:none': 0.92
DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20120113; h=mime-version:in-reply-to:references:date:message-id:subject:from:cc :content-type; bh=5iY9nqUdGWaEhAmrcpQwL2npOZvKZERT9hA1vGAiDRs=; b=wUiLRuPhsKbaKv66kj23FRyvvGe+qIyGW98HAcm1bbyiokWqV77474N403f8A5HuLQ VCs16L8hiXBm7Gy7Lg1U0ydDxKZDfMxwuhpOWFP6u7b0ROtLuA7tSBx34NB05Gd+SRbL d5DVlIfuNccwmvfn7GZqMImD002H0Hr2gs/1QtTc02sDbP7QAUPtlQLEJacq28nHHcT7 tuNWXXRW/WXwkKEiz+1I2P1sFSIfcgHcGYXXLdSnP+rOr1eYZnoHUr2hlMKbWDx7ZRrb l8i3xT1l3yoN4WvBP0sVM/tfBeIktNjQqrVt2yeLCz13+VK7fs1uTPr4Q3tRsIhPws3V Txig==
MIME-Version: 1.0
X-Received: by 10.170.207.20 with SMTP id y20mr4351443yke.28.1414140326013; Fri, 24 Oct 2014 01:45:26 -0700 (PDT)
In-Reply-To: <544a1016$0$13000$c3e8da3$5496439d@news.astraweb.com>
References: <54476af8$0$21651$426a74cc@news.free.fr> <7839376e-fc27-4299-ae63-4ddf17ef9a8a@googlegroups.com> <mailman.15068.1413977455.18130.python-list@python.org> <7d2ea3c1-504e-4f5c-8338-501b1483df38@googlegroups.com> <HqS1w.770817$AB3.493052@fx07.am4> <mailman.15097.1414022143.18130.python-list@python.org> <M452w.582708$Ym.533586@fx05.am4> <878uk6x5nd.fsf@elektro.pacujo.net> <544a1016$0$13000$c3e8da3$5496439d@news.astraweb.com>
Date: Fri, 24 Oct 2014 19:45:25 +1100
Subject: Re: (test) ? a:b
From: Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com>
Cc: "python-list@python.org" <python-list@python.org>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
X-BeenThere: python-list@python.org
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.15
Precedence: list
List-Id: General discussion list for the Python programming language <python-list.python.org>
List-Unsubscribe: <https://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: <https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list>, <mailto:python-list-request@python.org?subject=subscribe>
Newsgroups: comp.lang.python
Message-ID: <mailman.15127.1414140334.18130.python-list@python.org>
Lines: 18
NNTP-Posting-Host: 2001:888:2000:d::a6
X-Trace: 1414140334 news.xs4all.nl 2836 [2001:888:2000:d::a6]:56081
X-Complaints-To: abuse@xs4all.nl
Xref: csiph.com comp.lang.python:79565

On Fri, Oct 24, 2014 at 7:38 PM, Steven D'Aprano
<steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> wrote:
> Of course one can write hard-to-read code using any idiom by sheer weight of
> complexity or obfuscated naming:
>
> value = [some_function(arg)[23]['key'] or
>          another_function.method((x + y)/(z-x**(y-4)))*
>          some_list[get_index(a)].spam(eggs=False, tomato='yum'),
>          something.do_this(p|q).get(alpha, beta) ^
>          aardvark.bobble("string%s" % carrot.gamma(r&s)*
>          (this & that).fetch(83, 36, when=when or "now")
>          ][cond or flag or foo(42)-1 > 17 or bar(b) < thingy(c) or not d]
>

I can see where your problem is. It is a cardinal error in readability
to have "(x + y)" followed by "z-x". No wonder it's hard to read.

ChrisA