Why and how "there is only one way to do something"?

Aahz aahz at pythoncraft.com
Thu Dec 15 11:42:17 EST 2005


In article <mailman.2155.1134660942.18701.python-list at python.org>,
Steve Holden  <steve at holdenweb.com> wrote:
>Aahz wrote:
>> In article <mailman.2138.1134650183.18701.python-list at python.org>,
>> Steve Holden  <steve at holdenweb.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>>(Part of) Python's credo (which you can read in context by typing
>>>
>>>    import this
>>>
>>>at an interactive command prompt) is "There should be one (and 
>>>preferably only one) way to do it".
>> 
>> Actually, I've gotten used to doing
>> 
>>     python -c 'import this'
>
>Faster:
>
>   python -m this

Only in Python 2.4 and later:

    starship:~> python2.3 -m this
    Unknown option: -m
    usage: python2.3 [option] ... [-c cmd | file | -] [arg] ...
    Try `python -h' for more information.

Why, oh why, do so many people on this newsgroup only consider the latest
version "correct"?  I've been guilty myself on occasion, but I do try to
label my suggestions with version warnings.
-- 
Aahz (aahz at pythoncraft.com)           <*>         http://www.pythoncraft.com/

"Don't listen to schmucks on USENET when making legal decisions.  Hire
yourself a competent schmuck."  --USENET schmuck (aka Robert Kern)



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