Tolga wrote: > As far as I know, Perl is known as "there are many ways to do > something" and Python is known as "there is only one way". Could you > please explain this? How is this possible and is it *really* a good > concept? > Perl's credo is actually "There's more than one way to do it", often abbreviated to TMTOWTDI.
(Part of) Python's credo (which you can read in context by typing import this at an interactive command prompt) is "There should be one (and preferably only one) way to do it". Clearly as Python is improved (well, develops, anyway :-) new ways to perform old tasks will become possible. So the obvious way to iterate over the lines of a text file *used* to be while 1: line = f.readline() if not f: break # process the line whereas now it's for line in f: # process the line As with all credos this should be approached with a large-ish grain of salt and a pragmatic air. As with all Zen knowledge it's important to avoid taking the Zen too literally, otherwise it may be necessary to hit you on the side of the head with a stick to get you moving back towards enlightenment <0.8 wink>. We try not to be rude to perlmongers on this group. After all, they have come much closer to world domination than we have so far, and they can't help their peculiar penchant for coding in what looks like line noise. [As you can see it's OK to poke a bit of good-humoured fun at them from time to time]. Overall Python emphasises two things, readability and comprehensibility, as primary values. Readability, comprehensibility and a welcoming approach to newcomers ... regards Steve -- Steve Holden +44 150 684 7255 +1 800 494 3119 Holden Web LLC www.holdenweb.com PyCon TX 2006 www.python.org/pycon/ -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list