[Python-3000] Kill "generic functions"!

Aahz aahz at pythoncraft.com
Thu Apr 6 16:45:43 CEST 2006


I cringe every time I see the phrase "generic function".  It's way too
generic -- it doesn't contain any hint of its meaning, and I find it
confusing because Python already has what I think of as generic
functions:

def adder(a, b):
    return a+b

That's a perfectly good generic function that depends on Python's
duck-typing.  "Multimethods" works, but Python is in many ways
function-oriented rather than method-oriented.  Why not call them
"multifunctions"?
-- 
Aahz (aahz at pythoncraft.com)           <*>         http://www.pythoncraft.com/

"Look, it's your affair if you want to play with five people, but don't
go calling it doubles."  --John Cleese anticipates Usenet


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