Esmail <ebo...@hotmail.com> writes: > Hi Ben, > > Ben Finney wrote: > > > > Whenever a simple output statement is too cumbersome for debugging, I > > take it as a sign that the program is too cumbersome to follow. > > I'll have to think about this .. though my gut says this is true :-)
Note that it's only a sign, *not* an ironclad guarantee. But it's the right way to bet, IME. > re your other point about the interactive shell, I agree it's useful, > but to me still doesn't quite do what a full-fledged debugger can - > but perhaps that is a reflection of my skill with the shell at this > point. This, on the other hand, I find even more consistent: if the code can't be effectively inspected from the interactive interpreter, that's a sure sign that its external interfaces are poor or its internal dependencies too tightly coupled; or more likely both. Fixing that set of problems is both useful for debugging *and* good design. -- \ “Alternative explanations are always welcome in science, if | `\ they are better and explain more. Alternative explanations that | _o__) explain nothing are not welcome.” —Victor J. Stenger, 2001-11-05 | Ben Finney -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list