something like "if" that returns a value?

[holger krekel]

Paul Rudin wrote:
> 
> I'm having a little play with python, just to try it out; and one
> thing that I find I miss from other languages is something like lisp's
> if:
> 
> (if x y z)
> 
> which returns y if x is true and z otherwise.
> 
> I realise that I can define a function that does this for me; but is
> there a succinct way of expressing this in the base language?

for me  

  x and y or z

basically does what you want.  But you *need* to be sure that 'y'
is true.  some people don't like this 'abuse' but many use
it on a regular basis (without big problems i'd say).

regards,

    holger