Python is readable

[Kiuhnm]

On 3/15/2012 15:06, Mark Lawrence wrote:
> On 15/03/2012 11:48, Kiuhnm wrote:
>> On 3/15/2012 12:14, Thomas Rachel wrote:
>>> Am 15.03.2012 11:44 schrieb Kiuhnm:
>>>
>>>> Let's try that.
>>>> Show me an example of "list comprehensions" and "with" (whatever they
>>>> are).
>>>
>>> with open("filename", "w") as f:
>>> f.write(stuff)
>>
>> Here f is created before executing the block and destroyed right after
>> leaving the block. f's destructor will probably close the file handle.
>>
>>> with lock:
>>> do_something_exclusively()
>>
>> It's clear what it does, but I don't know if that's special syntax.
>> Maybe objects can have two special methods that are called respect. on
>> entering and leaving the with-block.
>> Or, more likely, lock creates an object which keeps the lock "acquired".
>> The lock is released when we leave the block.
>> So we could inspect the lock with
>> with lock as l:
>> inspect l...
>> do_some.....
>>
>> BTW, aren't those ':' redundant?
>>
>> Kiuhnm
>
> Nope.
>
> Python 2.7.2 (default, Jun 12 2011, 15:08:59) [MSC v.1500 32 bit
> (Intel)] on win32
> Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>  >>> with open("filename", "w") as f
> File "<stdin>", line 1
> with open("filename", "w") as f
> ^
> SyntaxError: invalid syntax

Ok, so they're mandatory, but I was mainly talking of design. Why are 
they needed?

Kiuhnm