defining the behavior of zip(it, it) (WAS: Converting a flat list...)

[rurpy at yahoo.com]

Fredrik Lundh wrote:
> rurpy at yahoo.com wrote:
>
> > led to more serious flaws like the missing if-then-else expression,
> > something I use in virtually every piece of code I write, and which
> > increases readability.
>
> you obviously need to learn more Python idioms.   Python works better
> if you use it to write Python code; not when you mechanically translate
> stuff written in other languages to Python.

The current Python idiom is the if-then-else statement, isn't it?
I know about that, and use it.  Unfortunately in some cases it
produces code that is less clear, hence my belief that Python
wll be a better language with an if-then-else expression.

As an aside, I would like to see a well written "Python Idioms"
book or howto as part of the standard documentation.  Not
cookbook recipies of which there are already several good
collections, but shorter things like, copy(sequence) is spelled
"sequence[:]".

> > (Well, ok that is not the end of the world either but it's lack is irritating
> > as hell, and yes, I know that it is now back in favor.)
>
> the thing that's in favour is "then-if-else", not "if-then-else".

Sorry if I confused you, I though it was clear that I meant the
concept, not a specific syntactical implementation.