[Python-Dev] Proper tail recursion

[Michael Hudson]

Christopher T King <squirrel at WPI.EDU> writes:

> On Thu, 15 Jul 2004, Guido van Rossum wrote:
>
>> > How about: Tail recursion "enables" recursion-oriented (functional)
>> > style? :)
>> 
>> Still -1.  I was understating my case: I find the "recursion is the
>> basis of everything" attitude harmful.
>
> I think it's still best to "enable" such a style in some cases -- Python's 
> syntax is designed to allow formulation of a problem in the most natural 
> way.  Sometimes it's more natural to formulate a problem as a recursive 
> function than a procedural one, but the current implementation restricts 
> this.

I think it's pretty hard to come up with a problem where the natural
solution is tail recursive.  There are problems where the natural
solution is *recursive*, sure -- but if the natural recursive solution
is tail recursive, I'd expect the iterative solution to be even more
natural.

Cheers,
mwh

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