why python annoys me

[goldaryn]

James Logajan <JamesL at Lugoj.Com> summoned a gibbering mouther that screamed:
>Alex Martelli wrote:
>> [...] since Python does have list comprehensions, [...]
>
>Not being a computer scientist, I hope you can excuse a profoundly ignorant
>question, but what are (or is?) "list comprehensions"? And another question
>(probably harder to answer): is there someplace on the web or in print where
>I can find a good definition of "functional programming"? I'm pretty sure it
>doesn't mean classical procedural notation, more like mathematical or
>logical notation, but I can't be sure.
>
>Many years back I did some application development using such a beast (at
>least I think that is what it was trying to accomplish), but in the end one
>had to rely on procedural elements to get information in and out and do some
>other pedestrian things.
>
>Thanks!

Searching Google (www.google.com) with "immutable types functional 
programming" I got this URL. Should do the job. 
http://gnosis.cx/publish/programming/charming_python_13.txt

Basically, functional programming is not sequential processing of command 
using variables. You define methods. You're right, it is hard to define :)

I learnt SML at first year of university. If you're keen you might try that as 
an example language. Search Google.

g.