Python scoping

[Garry Hodgson]

"Thaddeus L. Olczyk" wrote:

> I tend to agree and am very much confused about the python
> community's attitude about this point. You get hit in several
> different ways with indentation.

[dire consequences omitted]

oddly enough, in several years now, i haven't found any of these
to be a problem.  nor have the other folks i know who use python.

> Forcing people to properly indent to get the indentation right ( or
> hope their editor does, and sometimes it doesn't ) to get the right
> block structure seems foolish. About the only reason that people can
> provide is that it forces people to have a coherent coding style
> indentation wise.

i don't care about forcing other people to indent.  i care that i 
needn't clutter my code with noise characters or noise keywords.

> The biggest thing that the python community doesn't realise is how
> much it hurts them to use indenting to determine the block structure.
> I know at least five programmers who say they will never touch python
> because of this one fact even though they consider it superior to
> alternatives in every other way.

their loss.  maybe they'll mature a bit and revisit
the issue when they're ready for it.

> I also know of two managers ( from
> programming ranks ) who say they wouldn't allow their programers
> to use it. They say that any language that requires that of it's
> proggrammers is probably to simplistic ( from some previous experience
> I guess ).

again, that is their loss.  if they're making broad assumptions based
on such a minor point, i'd say their judgement isn't very good
to begin with.

> Should there ever come around a programming language
> similar to python but with braces or a begin/end, then python will be
> gone. The volume of  people who have been avoiding python ( along with
> some who now use python ) will adapt the new language, and the
> momentum will be sucked avay from python.

there are any number of languages quite similar to python.  most
use the traditional noise for statement grouping.  python is still 
here.

-- 
Garry Hodgson                   Once in a while
Senior Hacker                   you can get shown the light
Software Innovation Services    in the strangest of places
AT&T Labs                       if you look at it right