On 1/2/2010 9:42 PM, Steven D'Aprano wrote: > On Fri, 01 Jan 2010 15:27:57 -0800, myle wrote: > >> Why we should prefer ``if: ...'' over a ``try: ... except something: >> pass'' block? > > We shouldn't, not in general. One exception (pun intended) is if the try-block have a side effect that is difficult to cleanup cleanly.