[Python-Dev] Adding any() and all()

[M.-A. Lemburg]

Raymond Hettinger wrote:
>>BTW I definitely expect having to defend removing
>>map/filter/reduce/lambda with a PEP; that's much more controversial
>>because it's *removing* something and hence by definition breaking
>>code. 

+1 on the PEP
-1 on removing those tools - breaks too much code.

> I suspect that lambda will be the only bone of contention.  The reduce()
> function can be moved to the functional module.  The map() and filter()
> functions are already covered by the itertools module.

Nope. Think of the side-effects that can occur as a result
of calling the function argument n times with different
arguments. itertools only help if the functions don't have
side-effects.

Iteration is nice, but not the solution to everything :-)

> Lambda will be more difficult.  Eric Raymond adapted an anti-gun control
> slogan and said "you can pry lambda out of my cold dead hands."  A bunch
> of folks will sorely miss the ability to create anonymous functions on
> the fly.  When lambda is used for deferred argument evaluation (a la PEP
> 312), the def syntax is a crummy substitute.

While I'm no fan of lambdas either, the removal would break too
much code (e.g. I have 407 hits in the code base I use regularly
alone).

-- 
Marc-Andre Lemburg
eGenix.com

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