[Python-Dev] PEP 201 - Parallel iteration

[Gordon McMillan]

Barry A. Warsaw wrote:

[PEP 201, Parallel Iteration]

> Open Issues
> 
>     - What should "zip(a)" do?  Given
> 
>       a = (1, 2, 3); zip(a)
> 
>       three outcomes are possible.

How about a fourth: zip(a) is the same as zip(a, []) ?

Look at it this way: what should zip(a, pad=None) return?

Obviously: [(1, None), (2, None), (3, None)]

So what should zip(a) return? Don't special case it, just return 
[].

With only one arg, zip has clearly lost meaning. That is, it's 
clearly a degenerate case, and not worth a bunch of special 
casing.

although-we-do-special-case-Barry-ly y'rs

- Gordon