[Python-Dev] ascii default encoding

[M.-A. Lemburg]

Thomas Wouters wrote:
> 
> On Sun, Jul 16, 2000 at 11:34:00PM +0200, M.-A. Lemburg wrote:
> 
> > "Depreciated" means that you should not use it in new code --
> > perhaps someday string.py will disappear, even though I doubt
> > that.
> 
> The common term for that is 'deprecated', not 'depreciated'. Really :) There
> once was someone who posted a patch to linux-kernel to fix all those bloody
> typos everyone made. Almost all instances of 'depreciated' where spelled
> 'deprecated' ! <wink>
> 
> Deprecate:
> 
> 1.To express disapproval of; deplore.
> 2.To belittle; depreciate.
                 ^^^^^^^^^^

This is what I was referring to :-)
 
> Deprecate \Dep"re*cate\:
> To pray against, as an evil; to seek to avert by prayer; to desire the
> removal of; to seek deliverance from; to express deep regret for; to
> disapprove of strongly.

I wouldn't want to pray against string.py ;-) 

Here's what my Merriam-Webster has to say:

Depreciate:

1. to lessen in price or value
2. undervalue, belittle, disparage
 
> The difference is minor, but there really is one. Come on Eric, show us the
> hackers dictionary on this ;)

It seems that one is stronger than the other. I'll stick with
the weaker one ;-)
 
> > > Besides, 'string.join' is a good compromise for the people who
> > > don't like " ".join()
> 
> > Tim Peters will have to take the blame for this one ;-) I don't
> > find delimiter.join(sequence) awkward or funny -- using methods
> > for this has added value: it defines an interface which other
> > objects could support as well and thus makes your code polymorph.
> 
> Indeed. And is there any harm in providing conveniency functions for those
> that prefer more obvious code ? There is hardly any doubt what
> 
>   string.join(s, sep)
> 
> does. And some people prefer it that way. They don't care that it's really
> 'return sep.join(s)' behind their backs.

Fine... but it'll cause a performance hit when used in tight
loops (function call + method lookup). They should use somehting
like:

	spacejoin = ' '.join
	spacejoin(sequence)

instead.   

-- 
Marc-Andre Lemburg
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