[Python-ideas] dict.merge(d1, d2, ...) (Counter proposal for PEP 584)

[Chris Angelico]

On Tue, Mar 5, 2019 at 6:40 PM INADA Naoki <songofacandy at gmail.com> wrote:
> This is why function and methods are better:
>
> * Easy to search.
>
> ## Merits of dict.merge() over operator +
>
> * Easy to Google (e.g. "python dict merge").

This keeps getting thrown around. It's simply not true.

https://www.google.com/search?q=%7B**d1%2C+**d2%7D

First hit when I do that search is Stack Overflow:

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2255878/what-does-mean-in-the-expression-dictd1-d2

which, while it's not specifically about that exact syntax, does
mention it in the comments on the question. Symbols ARE searchable. In
fact, adding the word "python" to the beginning of that search
produces a number of very useful hits, including a Reddit thread on
combining dictionaries, and PEP 584 itself.

Please can people actually test these lines of argument before reiterating them?

ChrisA