[Tutor] Are you allowed to shoot camels? [kinda OT]

[Alan Gauld]

> I also disagree about the symbology.  I am never confused by it.  

I'll believe you, but its interesting that computer scientists 
have done lots of studies to test people's comprehension of programs 
and in every single case there has been clear evidence that 
additional prefixes/characters etc obscure undestanding. Even 
by those who thought they were fluent in the language concerned.

Check the book Code Complete for some references, or try searching 
the Software Engineering Institute stuff at CMU.

Its like the old argument in C over whether

int f(){
   blah()
   }

or

int f()
{
   blah()
}

was clearer. Many people claim to prefer the second but 
objective testing repeatedly shows that the first form 
produces measurably better results.

In both of these cases its not about style its about what works.
I suspect Guido was aware of that research and applied it to 
Python's design. Larry wasn't and didn't... (although he sure 
is now! :-)

Alan G.