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assignment expression peeve

Carl Banks imbosol at aerojockey.invalid
Thu Oct 16 15:09:38 EDT 2003 
Paul Rubin wrote:
> Carl Banks <imbosol at aerojockey.invalid> writes:
>> Again, apples and oranges.  You are comparing meanings, when the
>> problem is syntax.  "A guy named Bob walks into a bar" and
>> "bar.enter(bob := Guy())" might have the same meaning, but they use a
>> diffenent syntax to convey it.  And the latter uses a syntax with no
>> analogue in any natural language I know of.
> 
> Whatever.  You're the only programmer I've ever encountered who claims
> to have actual trouble understanding assignment expressions.

I really don't appreciate you putting words in my mouth, and I'm sorry
you feel the need to resort to dishororable tactics.

I claim assignment expressions are counterintuitive, and hard to read,
because they go against the grain of natural language.  They require
more effort because we can't use the language parts of our brains to
help.

I've NEVER said there was any trouble understanding them.  The trouble
is inputing them into our brains.


>  With other people, the objection is that they can be confused with
> comparison expressions, or that they're simply another
> not-so-important feature that Python doesn't need.

Bullshit.  I'm not the only person to have said these things about
assignment expressions.  And if you think there are no language
experts out there who think assignment expressions are a mistake,
you're deluded.


-- 
CARL BANKS                   http://www.aerojockey.com/software

As the newest Lady Turnpot descended into the kitchen wrapped only in
her celery-green dressing gown, her creamy bosom rising and falling
like a temperamental souffle, her tart mouth pursed in distaste, the
sous-chef whispered to the scullery boy, "I don't know what to make of
her." 
          --Laurel Fortuner, Montendre, France 
            1992 Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest Winner
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