Arithmetic sequences in Python

[Alex Martelli]

Steven D'Aprano <steve at REMOVETHIScyber.com.au> wrote:

> On Mon, 16 Jan 2006 12:51:58 +0100, Xavier Morel wrote:
> 
> > For those who'd need the (0..n-1) behavior, Ruby features something that
> > I find quite elegant (if not perfectly obvious at first), (first..last)
> > provides a range from first to last with both boundaries included, but
> > (first...last) (notice the 3 periods) 
> 
> No, no I didn't.
> 
> Sheesh, that just *screams* "Off By One Errors!!!". Python deliberately
> uses a simple, consistent system of indexing from the start to one past
> the end specifically to help prevent signpost errors, and now some folks
> want to undermine that.
> 
> *shakes head in amazement*

Agreed.  *IF* we truly needed an occasional "up to X *INCLUDED*"
sequence, it should be in a syntax that can't FAIL to be noticed, such
as range(X, endincluded=True).


Alex