Python's annoyance.

[Steven Bethard]

caroundw5h wrote:
> Serioulsy, one of python's main selling points is its elegant syntax,
> non perl like, non C like. If it can't live up to it. I guess i might
> as well use perl or ruby or server side javascript.

While I'm not a fan of the decorator syntax or the $syntax in 
string.Template, you're not forced to use either of these:

Standard Python formatting vs string.Template formatting:
------------------------------------------------------------
 >>> string.Template('$page: $title').substitute(dict(page=2, title='The 
Best of Times'))
'2: The Best of Times'
 >>> '%(page)s: %(title)s' % dict(page=2, title='The Best of Times')
'2: The Best of Times'

Post-function syntax vs. decorator syntax:
------------------------------------------------------------
 >>> def require_int(func):
...     def wrapper(arg):
...         assert isinstance(arg, int)
...         return func(arg)
...     return wrapper
...
 >>> @require_int
... def p1(arg):
... 	print arg
...
 >>> def p2(arg):
... 	print arg
... 	
 >>> p2 = require_int(p2)
 >>> p1(1)
1
 >>> p1('1')
Traceback (most recent call last):
   File "<interactive input>", line 1, in ?
   File "<interactive input>", line 3, in wrapper
AssertionError
 >>> p2(1)
1
 >>> p2('1')
Traceback (most recent call last):
   File "<interactive input>", line 1, in ?
   File "<interactive input>", line 3, in wrapper
AssertionError


Personally, I never saw the gain of the string.Template class -- in most 
of my uses I can write code that's just as clear and concise using 
%-style formatting.  I do however make use of the decorator syntax -- 
it's nice to have things like classmethod indicated at the top of the 
function instead of at the bottom.

Steve