Q: What does "Sparse is better than dense" mean? (Python Zen)

[Bernhard Herzog]

tebeka at cs.bgu.ac.il (Miki Tebeka) writes:

> Hello All,
> 
> Although it's in the Humor section I take the Python Zen
> (http://www.python.org/doc/Humor.html#zen) quite seriously.
> However I can understand what does "Sparse is better than
> dense" means.

Simple: Dense code much like mass increases the space-time curvature and
hence interferes with the operation of the time-machine.

Even though the time-machine itself uses dense code to warp space time
it does so with a Perl interpreter[1]! That language is hopelessly
entangled with the continuum (quite intentionally[2]) but Python is
still light enough to be easily influenced by time-travellers.
Unfortunately, it seems to be getting harder, otherwise the number of
proposed incompatible changes to fix earlier design mistakes wouldn't
have to increase.


[1]: According to http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=an_614140340, timbot
     said (after the time-machine crash at Roswell, 1947):

     "For some decades, at least. It will be a long time before
      technology develops far enough for us to build a new time machine. The
      blueprints I have call for a Perl interpreter, for instance. We need
      spacetime convolution regexes."

[2] Same source as [1].



   Bernhard

hoping-that-non-existing-tree-letter-organization-won't-