misleading prefix ++

[Steve Holden]

LuciferLeo at gmail.com wrote:
> given i = 0,
> I know i = i + 1 and i += 1 are all correct
> but when I type:
> 
>>>>i++
> 
> the interpreter replies:
>   File "<stdin>", line 1
>     i++
>       ^
> SyntaxError: invalid syntax
> 
> so I get the idea that suffix ++ is invalid in python
> but when I input:
> 
>>>>++i
> 
> and the interpreter replies
> 0
> 
> Don't you think it is misleading when you expect a variable to
> increment?
> 
Terribly. So stop expecting it to increment :)

Seriously, --i is also valid Python. Both expressions apply two unary 
operators to a name. Would you have these become illegal, or start to 
mean increment/decrement? Either change would break years of backwards 
compatibility.

regards
  Steve
-- 
Steve Holden       +44 150 684 7255  +1 800 494 3119
Holden Web LLC/Ltd          http://www.holdenweb.com
Love me, love my blog  http://holdenweb.blogspot.com
Recent Ramblings     http://del.icio.us/steve.holden