append to non-existing list

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    Yves> My question is: Is there no way to append to a non existing list?

My question in return is: How is Python supposed to know that pkcolumns is
supposed to be a list instead of some other type of object that happens to
define an append() method?  For example, my code might contain this class
definition before the suspect pkcolumns.append() call:

class MaxLengthList:
     def __init__(self, maxsize=0):
         self.data = []
         self.maxsize = maxsize

     def append(self, item):
         if self.maxsize and len(self.data) == self.maxsize:
             del self.data[0]
         self.data.append(item)

    def __getattr__(self, attr):
        return getattr(self.data, attr)

I think it would be perfectly reasonable for Python to choose to instantiate
my MaxLengthList instead of a plain old list.

    Yves> I am lazy for declaring it first, IMHO it bloats the code, and
    Yves> (don't know if it's good to say that here) where I come from (php)
    Yves> I was used to not-needing it...

I don't know php, but would also have to wonder how it knows to create a
list instead of an integer (for example).

Finally, from the Zen of Python (try "import this" at an interpreter
prompt): 

    In the face of ambiguity, refuse the temptation to guess.

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