[Python-Dev] Proposed unittest changes

[Steve Holden]

Ben Finney wrote:
> Nick Coghlan <ncoghlan at gmail.com> writes:
> 
>> Ben Finney wrote:
>>> The problem is, that makes it quite inconsistent with other "not"
>>> uses (such as "assert_not_equal", "assert_not_in", etc.) I would
>>> really prefer that all these "not" uses be gramatically consistent
>>> for predictability. Is this a case where "assert_is_not" should
>>> exist alongside "assert_not_is"?
>> If we can flip the word order in the language syntax, we can sure as
>> heck flip it in a method name :)
> 
> To be clear, I take it you're in favour of the following names (with
> no aliases):
> 
>     assert_equal                assert_not_equal
>     assert_is                   assert_is_not
>     assert_in                   assert_not_in
>     assert_almost_equal         assert_not_almost_equal
> 
> and so on; i.e. that 'assert_is_not' breaks the obvious pattern set by
> the others, in the interest of matching Python's 'is not' grammar.
> 
Well, I'd have said "in the interest of reading correctly in English", 
though I have to acknowledge this may not be an issue for many Python 
users whose first language not is English. "assert_not_is" is just 
dissonant to my ears.

regards
  Steve
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