Theoretical question about Lambda

[Alex Martelli]

Bengt Richter wrote:
        ...
>>> Is there any forced need for Lambda's in Python ? I mean does Lambda
>>> contribute anything that cannot be done otherwise in Python ?
>>
>>Not really.  lambda lets you have an anonymous function, and create
>>a function within an expression (while def is a statement and does
> A thought: being ble to do it in an expression allows taking advantage
> of short-circuit evaluation to avoid some problem in a lambda def form
> vs another.

...while doing it with a def would let you much more easily with
an appropriate if/else:

if doitoneway:
    def foo(): return whatever
else:
    def foo(): return somethingelse

> What do you think re short circuit evaluation vav lambda?

Given the lack of a ternary operator in Python (insert appropriate
smiley fraction here), if/else is much more comfortable for this.


Alex