[Python-ideas] Repurpose `assert' into a general-purpose check

[Steven D'Aprano]

On Tue, Nov 28, 2017 at 07:35:45AM +0300, Ivan Pozdeev via Python-ideas wrote:

> Actually, the way I'm using them,
> 
>     assert condition, "error message", type
> 
> would probably be the most expressive way.

I disagree that is expressive -- I call it *misleading*. I see something 
which looks like an assertion (that is, a checked comment, a contract, a 
check on an internal piece of logic etc) but it is actually being used 
as a test.


> I can do anything in any Turing-complete language without any changes to 
> the language. That's no reason to never change anything, is it.

"We can change this" is not a reason to change this. There needs to be a 
*good* reason to change, and you have given no good reasons for this 
change.


> The rationale basically is:
> * As it was intended, the statement has no practical use -- basically a 
> rudiment, due to disappear eventually

Nonsense. I make extensive use of assert as a way of checking 
assertions, and I will fight tooth and nail against any proposal to 
either remove it or to misuse it for public input tests instead of 
assertions.


> * It can instead be reused as syntax sugar to cover a very common use case

There is no need for such syntactic sugar. It would be harmful 
to use assert for something which is not an assertion.



-- 
Steve