@ Joseph Function annotations can be arbitrary python expressions, it is completely legal to have something like >>> def foo(bar: lambda x: x + 1): ... pass Why you would want that I can't say, but it is legal. In the same way, `def foo(bar: delayed 1 + 1)` should probably be legal syntax, even if the use is inexplicable. (also note that the `:` works with lambda because lambda cannot be used as an identifier). In any case, as David said, bikeshedding. @ Ed Its my understanding that d[k] is always d[k], even if d or k or both are delayed. On the other hand, `delayed d[k]` would not be, but you would need to explicitly state that. I think its worth expanding on the example Joseph made. I think it makes sense to consider this proposal to be `x = delayed <EXPR>` is essentially equivalent to `x = lambda: <EXPR>`, except that there will be no need to explicitly call `x()` to get the delayed value, instead it will be evaluated the first time its needed, transparently. This, for the moment, assumes that this doesn't cause enormous interpreter issues, but I don't think it will. That is, there is no "delayed" object that is created and called, and so as a user you really won't care if an object is "delayed" or not, you'll just use it and it will be there. Do you understand this proposal differently? --Josh On Fri, Feb 17, 2017 at 5:35 PM Joseph Hackman <josephhackman@gmail.com> wrote:
I think we should use the colon to make the delayed word (or whatever word is selected), unambiguously used in this way (and to prevent any existing code from breaking).
On 17 February 2017 at 17:09, David Mertz <mertz@gnosis.cx> wrote:
That was a problem with the colon that occurred to me. I think it can't be tokenized in function annotations.
I don't see any reason for delayed execution and function annotations to mix. i.e. def foo(delayed: bar): pass would define a function that takes one argument, named delayed, of type bar.
Plus I still think the no-colon looks better. But that's bikeshedding. Also other words are plausible. I like lazy even more than delayed, I think. Still, I'd love the construct whatever the exact spelling.
I'm not particularly married to delayed, but I don't know how to properly vet this inside the community. I'm glad you like the proposal!
-Joseph