[Python-3000] Making more effective use of slice objects in Py3k

[Delaney, Timothy (Tim)]

Jim Jewett wrote:

>     s[start:stop].find(prefix)

No matter what, I really think the obj[start:stop:step] syntax needs to
be consistent in its behaviour - either returning a copy or a view - and
that that behaviour be to return a copy. I'm not at all in favour of
sometimes getting a copy, and sometimes getting a view.

As a bit of an out-there and very premature suggestion ... <wink>

For when/*if* views ever become considered to be a good thing for
builtin classes, etc, may I suggest that the following syntax be
reserved for view creation:

    obj{start:stop:step} 

mapping to something like:

    def __view__(self, slice)

So if you really want a string view, use:

    s{1:2}

instead of:

    s[1:2]

I don't *think* the syntax is currently legal, and I don't think it
could ever be ambiguous - anyone think of a case where it could be?

Tim Delaney