Return-Path: 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; 'lately': 0.07; 'subject:help': 0.08; 'subject:command': 0.09; 'yeah,': 0.09; 'cc:addr:python-list': 0.11; '"but': 0.16; 'expert,': 0.16; 'from:addr:rosuav': 0.16; 'from:name:chris angelico': 0.16; 'programmer,': 0.16; 'subject:description': 0.16; 'unlikely': 0.16; "where's": 0.16; 'wrote:': 0.18; 'thu,': 0.19; 'written': 0.21; 'cc:addr:python.org': 0.22; 'software.': 0.24; 'cc:2**0': 0.24; "i've": 0.25; 'asking': 0.27; 'gets': 0.27; 'header:In- Reply-To:1': 0.27; 'am,': 0.29; 'message-id:@mail.gmail.com': 0.30; "i'm": 0.30; 'code': 0.31; 'larry': 0.31; 'lists': 0.32; 'but': 0.35; 'received:google.com': 0.35; 'really': 0.36; 'possible': 0.36; 'too': 0.37; 'expected': 0.38; 'nov': 0.38; 'subject:needed': 0.38; 'subject:" ': 0.39; 'how': 0.40; 'easy': 0.60; 'tell': 0.60; 'great': 0.65; 'bridge': 0.65; 'civil': 0.65; 'gathering': 0.68; '"it': 0.84; 'to:none': 0.92; 'imagine': 0.93 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=Wq7A+3kFiJVZvnGoiV7MOnpSMk+OAitLklzcBfXfRWs=; b=bTxe/p5tSsbT4hC1qo63k1Uq4mDSZsNmIW15kB0LmVJO/ZV5h8+v5/367yGOkSsC0A ZCn0XAbRINwzVosSHZlCyUa99eJjvUtgBAHSf7wyWO4nwaJ3DTi8B4uSXsutdkBM7whM 7amZ63RLVJc1v1cEUzeEPj5t41yMLlYISbfztJPUnSsdXIUOSg/c3fecsr7rhxj25iSc /F6UOjae98Crru2CnBdsCKgrbYUiqNc28S18AhpE/2muwWIlL5+5eYoSuE7FHoCHH0IO 2tYQMgaMjZckVtz7PEPFTh3e/VoZiiy9jouElMR4ncMkxP17cMDgwvmf6vnPGbQDL1XF LbGA== MIME-Version: 1.0 X-Received: by 10.107.136.94 with SMTP id k91mr47927332iod.43.1415204026602; Wed, 05 Nov 2014 08:13:46 -0800 (PST) In-Reply-To: References: <000001cff8e7$af51ef30$0df5cd90$@gmail.com> <000601cff8f4$7dc40220$794c0660$@gmail.com> Date: Thu, 6 Nov 2014 03:13:46 +1100 Subject: Re: Understanding "help" command description syntax - explanation needed From: Chris Angelico Cc: "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 List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Newsgroups: comp.lang.python Message-ID: Lines: 17 NNTP-Posting-Host: 2001:888:2000:d::a6 X-Trace: 1415204029 news.xs4all.nl 2964 [2001:888:2000:d::a6]:36995 X-Complaints-To: abuse@xs4all.nl Path: csiph.com!usenet.pasdenom.info!bete-des-vosges.org!feed.ac-versailles.fr!nerim.net!novso.com!newsfeed.xs4all.nl!newsfeed4.news.xs4all.nl!xs4all!newsgate.cistron.nl!newsgate.news.xs4all.nl!post.news.xs4all.nl!not-for-mail Xref: csiph.com comp.lang.python:80277 On Thu, Nov 6, 2014 at 2:56 AM, Larry Martell wrote: >> And I don't think >> Larry was actually offended; it's just that some questions don't >> really have easy answers - imagine someone asking a great >> mathematician "But how do you KNOW that 2 + 2 is 4? Where's it written >> down?"... all he can say is "It is". > > Yeah, I'm on a lot of lists and lately I've seen a lot of 'I'm not a > programmer, but I want to write code and I need someone to tell me > how." Gets to you after a while. Too true. Those same people are unlikely to go to a gathering of civil engineers and say "I'm no expert, but I want to build a bridge and I need someone to tell me how", yet somehow it's expected to be possible with software. ChrisA