[Python-Dev] str.rreplace

[Steven D'Aprano]

On Sat, Jan 25, 2014 at 10:41:05AM +1000, Nick Coghlan wrote:

> In this specific case, our general communication about the different
> purposes of the core lists *isn't* particularly good,

Nick, I beg to differ: I think that our communication in this regard 
actually is quite reasonable. Before signing up to Python-Dev via the 
website, one cannot help but see right at the top of the page:

    Do not post general Python questions to this list. For help with 
    Python please see the Python help page.

https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-dev

Although perhaps a link directly to the python-list mailing list 
as well wouldn't go astray.

> so it's entirely
> expected that we'll still get the occasional post to python-dev that is
> better directed to a different list. That's why everyone gets a free pass
> to asking one or two inappropriate questions on python-dev, since it isn't
> always clear to them that the question is off-topic.

I agree with the conclusion, but not the reason. We should allow people 
a free pass for small errors, because we would appreciate such a free 
pass for small errors ourselves. To err is human, to forgive is humane, 
and a little bit of kindness helps grease the wheels of civilized 
discourse.

(Also, there sometimes are grey areas where it isn't clear whether a 
question is on-topic or not. However, "Is there a version of str.replace 
that works from the right?" is not in that grey area.)

What annoyed me most about Ram's thread is not that he made the mistake 
in the first place, but that when gently corrected, he choose to argue 
and give spurious reasons for why this was the right place to ask. 
Still, I think Mark's overly-aggressive use of sarcasm in an otherwise 
content-less post was out of proportion to the magnitude of Ram's 
transgression.



-- 
Steven