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[Python-Dev] RE: itertools, was RE: list.sort

Raymond Hettinger python at rcn.com
Fri Oct 17 18:46:54 EDT 2003 
[Raymond]
> > To be considered as a possible itertool, an ideal candidate should: 

[Alex]
> Very nice set of specs! 

Thanks!


> Which reminds me: why don't we have take(n, it)
> and drop(n, it) there?  I find myself rewriting those quite often.

Yeah, me too.

When you write them, do they return lists or iterators?
For me, take() has been most useful in list form, but my point 
of view is biased because I use it to experiment with itertool
suggestions and need an easy way manifest a portion of a 
potentially infinite iterator.

My misgivings about drop() and take() are, firstly, that they 
are expressible in-terms of islice() so they don't really add
any new capability.  Secondly, the number of tools needs to be 
kept to a minimum -- already, the number of tools is large 
enough to complicate the task of figuring out how to
use them in combination -- the examples page in the docs is
intended, in part, to record the best discoveries so they
won't have to be continually re-invented.


Raymond Hettinger


P.S.  Itertool tip for the day:  to generate a stream of random
numbers, write:  stapmap(random.random, repeat(()))
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