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Diffstat (limited to 'Misc/FAQ')
| -rw-r--r-- | Misc/FAQ | 69 |
1 files changed, 55 insertions, 14 deletions
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@ Reply-to: guido@cwi.nl (Guido van Rossum) Approved: news-answers-request@MIT.Edu Archive-name: python-faq/part1 -Version: 1.7 -Last-modified: 4 May 1994 +Version: 1.8 +Last-modified: 15 May 1994 This article contains answers to Frequently Asked Questions about Python (an object-oriented interpreted programming language -- see @@ -62,11 +62,12 @@ Here's an overview of the questions per chapter: 1.2. Q. Why is it called Python? 1.3. Q. How do I obtain a copy of the Python source? 1.4. Q. How do I get documentation on Python? - 1.5. Q. Is there a newsgroup or mailing list devoted to Python? - 1.6. Q. Is there a book on Python, or will there be one out soon? - 1.7. Q. Are there any published articles about Python that I can quote? - 1.8. Q. How does the Python version numbering scheme work? - 1.9. Q. Are there other ftp sites that carry Python related material? + 1.5. Q. Are there other ftp sites that mirror the Python distribution? + 1.6. Q. Is there a newsgroup or mailing list devoted to Python? + 1.7. Q. Is there a book on Python, or will there be one out soon? + 1.8. Q. Are there any published articles about Python that I can quote? + 1.9. Q. How does the Python version numbering scheme work? + 1.10. Q. Are there other ftp sites that carry Python related material? 2. Python in the real world 2.1. Q. How many people are using Python? @@ -120,6 +121,7 @@ Here's an overview of the questions per chapter: in Python? (Persistent == automatically saved to and restored from disk.) 6.3. Q. Why isn't there a switch or case statement in Python? + 6.4. Q. Why does Python use indentation for grouping of statements? 7. Using Python on non-UNIX platforms 7.1. Q. Is there a Mac version of Python? @@ -194,20 +196,23 @@ standard or built-in types, functions and modules, all of which are described here. PostScript for a high-level description of Python is in the file nluug-paper.ps. -The following sites keep mirrors of the Python distribution: +1.5. Q. Are there other ftp sites that mirror the Python distribution? + +A. The following sites keep mirrors of the Python distribution: Site IP address Directory gatekeeper.dec.com 16.1.0.2 /pub/plan/python/cwi ftp.uu.net 192.48.96.9 /languages/python ftp.wustl.edu 128.252.135.4 /graphics/graphics/sgi-stuff/python -ftp.funet.fi 128.214.6.100 /pub/languages/python (old?) +ftp.funet.fi 128.214.6.100 /pub/languages/python ftp.fu-berlin.de 130.133.4.50 /pub/unix/languages/python (*python* only) +ftp.sunet.se 130.238.127.3 /pub/lang/python Or try archie on e.g. python1.0 to locate the nearest copy of that version... -1.5. Q. Is there a newsgroup or mailing list devoted to Python? +1.6. Q. Is there a newsgroup or mailing list devoted to Python? A. There is a newsgroup, comp.lang.python, and a mailing list. The newsgroup and mailing list are gatewayed into each other -- if you can @@ -215,7 +220,7 @@ read news it is not necessary to subscribe to the mailing list. Send e-mail to python-list-request@cwi.nl to (un)subscribe to the mailing list. -1.6. Q. Is there a book on Python, or will there be one out soon? +1.7. Q. Is there a book on Python, or will there be one out soon? A. Unfortunately, not yet. I would like to write one but my obligations at CWI include too much other work to make much progress @@ -224,7 +229,7 @@ helping the production of a book or reference manual, but so far there are no firm plans. If you volunteer help, by all means drop me a note! -1.7. Q. Are there any published articles about Python that I can quote? +1.8. Q. Are there any published articles about Python that I can quote? A. So far the only refereed and published article that describes Python in some detail is: @@ -247,7 +252,7 @@ presentation can be found in the ftp directory mentioned a few questions earlier, with filenames nluug-paper.ps and nluug-slides.ps, respectively. -1.8. Q. How does the Python version numbering scheme work? +1.9. Q. How does the Python version numbering scheme work? A. Python versions are numbered A.B.C. A is the major version number -- it is only incremented for major changes in functionality or source @@ -257,7 +262,7 @@ incremented for each new release. Note that in the past, patches have added significant changes; in fact the changeover from 0.9.9 to 1.0.0 was the first time that either A or B changed! -1.9. Q. Are there other ftp sites that carry Python related material? +1.10. Q. Are there other ftp sites that carry Python related material? A. An interesting ftp site for Python users is ftp.markv.com (192.122.251.1); the directory pub/python contains a growing @@ -606,6 +611,42 @@ if... elif... elif... else. There have been some proposals for switch statement syntax, but there is no concensus (yet) on whether and how to do range tests. +6.4. Q. Why does Python use indentation for grouping of statements? + +A. Basically I believe that using indentation for grouping is +extremely elegant and contributes a lot to the clarity of the average +Python program. Most people learn to love this feature after a while. +Some arguments for it: + +- Since there are no begin/end brackets there cannot be a disagreement +between grouping perceived by the parser and the human reader. I +remember long ago seeing a C fragment like this: + + if (x <= y) + x++; + y--; + z++; + +and staring a long time at it wondering why y was being decremented +even for x > y... (And I wasn't a C newbie then either.) + +- Since there are no begin/end brackets there can be no conflicting +coding styles. In C there are loads of different ways to place the +braces (including the choice whether to place braces around single +statements in certain cases, for consistency). If you're used to +reading (and writing) code that uses one style, you will feel at least +slightly uneasy when reading (or being required to write) another +style. + +- Many coding styles place begin/end brackets on a line by themself. +This makes programs considerably longer and wastes valuable screen +space, making it harder to get a good overview over a program. +Ideally, a function should fit on one basic tty screen (say, 20 +lines). 20 lines of Python are worth a LOT more than 20 lines of C. +This is not solely due to the lack of begin/end brackets (the lack of +declarations also helps, and the powerful operations of course), but +it certainly helps! + 7. Using Python on non-UNIX platforms ===================================== |