another puzzled newbie

[Erik Max Francis]

Elaine Jackson wrote:

> "Chad Netzer" <cnetzer at sonic.net> wrote in message
> news:mailman.1062051053.30902.python-list at python.org...
>
> > You don't need the '(' and ')' here.  del is a keyword, not a
> > function.
> 
> Can't it be both? Could you explain why it fails to be a function?

Because it doesn't only not return a value, it _can't_ return a value:

>>> def f(x): print x
... 
>>> f("This is a function")
This is a function
>>> returnValue = f("This is a function")
This is a function
>>> returnValue is None
True
>>> g = f
>>> del f
>>> returnValue = del f
  File "<stdin>", line 1
    returnValue = del f
                    ^
SyntaxError: invalid syntax

Treating del as if it were a function is illegal.  The same goes for the
other statements, like print.

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