length of a tuple or a list containing only one element

[bearophileHUGS at lycos.com]

Steve Holden:
> While this kind of beginner
> mistake is common it isn't one that's frequently repeated once the
> learner understands the syntax.

You may be right, but I don't have to like it.
When you teach programming to people that have never done it before,
and you use Python, they spot similar inconsistences in the blink of
an eye and often look annoyed. They want a clean language, so you have
to explain them the difference between a practical engineering system
(like Python/Scheme or on the opposite C++) and an abstract system
that you can use to reason (like some parts of mathematics they know).
The good thing is that Python3 fixes some of those things :-)

Bye,
bearophile