[Python-Dev] Trinary Operators

[Andrew Koenig]

Greg> I also have a dim recollection of pestering Guido about the
Greg> statement/expression divide once, and he insisted that it was a
Greg> feature.  I respectfully disagree; I think we're all grown-ups
Greg> here and we can decide between ourselves when an expression is
Greg> really a statement.  This is one thing that I think C got right
Greg> (although "if (x = ...)" is an abomination that should, at the
Greg> very least, generate a stern warning).

Except that C does distinguish between expressions and statements
in a way that Algol 68 does not.  For example, in C you cannot write

        if (int sum = 0;
            for (i = 0; i != n; ++i) sum += x[i];
            sum > 0) {
                // ...
        }

but the corresponding construct is just fine in Algol 68:

        if int sum := 0;
           for i to n do sum := x[i] od;
           sum > 0
        then     ...
        fi

-- 
Andrew Koenig, ark@research.att.com, http://www.research.att.com/info/ark