python adds an extra half space when reading from a string or list

[rurpy at yahoo.com]

Since this thread too has gone into the trash hole
thanks to our resident trolls I might as well comment...

On 07/02/2013 04:34 PM, Ben Finney wrote:> Joshua Landau <joshua.landau.ws at gmail.com> writes:
> 
>> On 2 July 2013 13:01, Antoon Pardon <antoon.pardon at rece.vub.ac.be> wrote:
>> > Please answer the following question. If someone behaved
>> > incompetently, how can I clearly state that fact when
>> > "incompetently" is seen as an insult and insults don't belong on the
>> > list?
>>
>> There is not ever a place on this list where you will need to call
>> someone incompetent.
> 
> So even if that term describes their behaviour and manner, you think
> no-one should ever point it out?

If it is relevant and likely to be helpful to the asker, by
all means please point it out.  But if someone is asking a
question about *python*, what relevance does their competence 
as an Apache administrator (or ability as a father for that
matter) have to do with it? [*1]

If your going to point out something negative about someone
then do so politely.  Ask yourself if you were pointing out 
incompetence to your boss (or anyone else where impoliteness
could have real consequences for you) if you would say, 
"you're incompetent."   

In Nikos' case, unless you're an idiot or severely socially 
challenged, it should have been clear early on that pointing 
out his knowledge deficits was not going to be helpful to him. 
Telling him to "hire someone" without any knowledge of his goals 
or resources is as patently assine as trying to justify it as 
"telling the truth".

>> > So what are the non-insulting terms for
>> >
>> > incompentent, (starting a webservice in a language you're a newby in,
>> > making changes on the life server so that any typo you make, can take
>> > your site out the air),
>>
>> You just did it.
> 
> So you agree the correct term to use *is* “incompetent”, as Anton said.
> Yet you don't want Anton to use the correct term.
> 
> Needless to say, I disagree with your position. There is no place for
> baseless insults in this community; but when the behaviour of someone in
> this community is harmful, then it is entirely appropriate to use clear
> terms (e.g. “incompetent”, “inconsiderate”) to describe their behaviour.

Those are anything but clear.  They are subjective and
highly judgmental and frequently applied one-sidedly.
(Not "rude" when an alpha poster here says it but "rude"
when someone else does.) 

Please use non-emotional, neutral, factual descriptions
and only do so when it is actually relevant.  IOW, please 
resist your desire to "tell off" the poster -- it usually
just produces more responses in kind.

----
[*1] I realize in Nikos' case, there were questions about web 
site administration, but then the answer should be (if you 
don't want to deal with it and you can't can't control your
need to reply with something), a polite, "that's off topic
here but the apache list might be able to help you."