[Python-ideas] PEP 505 (None coalescing operators) thoughts

[Eric V. Smith]

On 09/30/2015 12:41 PM, Jeff Hardy wrote:
> 'def' is currently short for 'define', which would be too confusing.
> Spelling out 'default' isn't so bad, though:
> 
>     self.x = x default []
> 
> And if it's going to be that long anyway, we might as well just put a
> `default` function in the builtins:
> 
>     self.x = default(x, [])

You lose the short circuiting.

> I actually really like 'otherwise', but it's certainly not brief:
>     
>     self.x = x if x is not None else []
>     self.x = x otherwise []

I'm -1 on needing syntax for this, but if we're going to do it, this is
my favorite version I've seen so far. The usual caveats about adding a
keyword apply.

Eric.