[Edu-sig] Truth values and comparisons

[Arthur]

Scott David Daniels wrote:

>>Though I guess we are all allowed to define "sound programming" for 
>>ourselves.
>>    
>>
>
>With the exception you pointed out about space shuttles.
>  
>
if sum(abs(the_array)) != 0:
    go ahead

Am I still blowing up anything, potentially??

Still preferring something along these lines in the context in which I 
am working.

"any" may be more readable (it is certainly more succinct).to the 
knowing reader, but less so to the less knowing. 

But it is hard to separate readability from some concept of who your 
readers might be, and overall context.

It also allows me to switch easily to the concept of "zero for practical 
purposes" as opposed to true/false.

if sum(abs(the_array)) > EPS:
    go ahead

OTOH, I am the one always fighting condescension.

 I can see it be argued (my own objection to  some of the arguments  
against int/int = int, always , was something along these lines) that  
my approach - in a pedagogical settings - effectively avoids an 
opportunity to elucidate something that should be elucidated.

Probably no way to win in any black and white sense with these kinds of 
issues.

Think I'll go with "any" in the end, unless there is a real reason to 
believe that "zero for practical purposes" is or might come into play.

Art