[Python-Dev] Adding C ternary select (a?b:c) to Python?

[Christian Tismer]

Ka-Ping Yee wrote:
> 
> On Sun, 30 Jan 2000, Tim Peters wrote:
> > If this goes in (I'm not deadly opposed, just more opposed than in favor),
> > I'd like to see "else" used instead of the colon (cond "?" true "else"
> > false).  The question mark is reasonably mnemonic, but a colon makes no
> > sense here.
> 
> I agree with that sentiment (along the lines of the philosophy that
> chose "and" over "&&"), and it seems to me that it makes the most sense
> to use words for both:
> 
>     a = x > 0 then x else -x

I would favorise this as well instead of using ?: .
Maybe it would make sense to be even more verbose and use an "if"
as well?

       a = if x > 0 then x else -x

       sign = lambda x: if x > 0 then 1 elif x then -1 else 0

ciao - chris

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