[Python-3000] PEP 3124 - Overloading, Generic Functions, Interfaces, etc.

[Phillip J. Eby]

At 12:38 PM 5/3/2007 +1200, Greg Ewing wrote:
>In other words, I see the calling of the next method
>as an implementation detail that doesn't need to be
>announced prominently at the top of the method.

It's not an implementation detail - it's an expression of *intent*.  E.g., 
in English, "After you start a transaction on a database, make sure you 
turn its logging up all the way."

Please explain how you would improve one the clarity of that sentence 
*without* using the word "after" or any synonyms thereof.

ISTM that your argument is like saying there's no need for C with all its 
fancy function parameter names; after all, if you read the assembly code 
you can see right away which registers are being used for what.  That may 
be true, but I'd rather not have to.

Meanwhile, in the case of before/after methods, not having to call the next 
method or return its return value means there's less code to possibly get 
wrong in the process.


>So you're not going to impress me by appealing
>to those, either. :-)

I wasn't under the illusion that impressing you was possible, actually.  :)