[Python-Dev] iterator API in Py3.0 (original) (raw)
Aahz aahz at pythoncraft.com
Fri Mar 3 20:15:12 CET 2006
- Previous message: [Python-Dev] iterator API in Py3.
- Next message: [Python-Dev] iterator API in Py3.0
- Messages sorted by: [ date ] [ thread ] [ subject ] [ author ]
On Wed, Mar 01, 2006, Raymond Hettinger wrote:
I usually let this sort of thing slide, but the iterator API is too important for trivial, incompatible, and damaging changes. Looking back at Guido's original rationale for naming the method next() instead of next(), http://www.python.org/peps/pep-0234.html , it does not look like any of those reasons will cease to apply in Py3.0.
OTOH, there is a final comment that choosing next() was perhaps a mistake that cannot be rectified. However, it can certainly be fixed in Python 3.0.
My argument in favor of switching to next() is rather simple:
As a writer/teacher, I want to be able to say, "All Python special methods have leading and trailing double-underscore." Period, end of story.
As a programmer, I want special methods to be VISIBLE. Python is a language for reading code.
Finally, as a debater in the future of the Python language, I don't want any time taken up discussing whether any future special method should get the same kind of special treatment we've given to next().
As for your point about efficiency, I don't much care whether we get a built-in next() function, but I think that anyone who is concerned about efficiency should do
next = obj.__next__which saves an attribute lookup, too. I still think the vast majority of cases will stick with for loops that automatically call next() directly.
Aahz (aahz at pythoncraft.com) <*> http://www.pythoncraft.com/
"19. A language that doesn't affect the way you think about programming, is not worth knowing." --Alan Perlis
- Previous message: [Python-Dev] iterator API in Py3.
- Next message: [Python-Dev] iterator API in Py3.0
- Messages sorted by: [ date ] [ thread ] [ subject ] [ author ]