[Python-Dev] any support for a methodcaller HOF?
"Martin v. Löwis"
martin at v.loewis.de
Sat Feb 4 13:55:23 CET 2006
Nick Coghlan wrote:
> Hell no. If I want to write a real function, I already have perfectly good
> syntax for that in the form of a def statement. I want to *increase* the
> conceptual (and pedagogical) difference between deferred expressions and real
> functions, not reduce it. There's a reason I try to use the term 'deferred
> expression' for lambda rather than 'anonymous function'. Even if lambdas are
> *implemented* as normal function objects, they're a conceptually different
> beast as far as I'm concerned - a function is typically about factoring out a
> piece of common code to be used in multiple places, while a lambda is about
> defining *here* and *now* an operation that is to be carried out *elsewhere*
> and possibly *later* (e.g., sorting and predicate arguments are defined at the
> call site but executed in the function body, callbacks are defined when
> registered but executed when the relevant event occurs).
Hmm. A function also defines *here* and *now* an operation to be carried
out *elsewhere* and *later*.
> Generator expressions allow a generator to be embedded only if it is simple
> enough to be written using a single expression in the body of the loop. Lambda
> does the same thing for functions, but for some reason people seem to love the
> flexibility provided by genexps, while many think the exact same restriction
> in lambda is a problem that needs "fixing". Maybe once PEP 308 has been
> implemented, some of that griping will go away, as it will then be possible to
> cleanly embed conditional logic inside an expression (and hence inside a lambda).
I believe that usage of a keyword with the name of a Greek letter also
contributes to people considering something broken.
Regards,
Martin
More information about the Python-Dev
mailing list