language design question

[Paul Rubin]

Steven D'Aprano <steve at REMOVETHIScyber.com.au> writes:
> >> Now try to rewrite this using methods (member functions).
> > [a.len() for a in ('abc', (1,2,3), [1,2], {1:2})]
> 
> Did you actually try that?

No of course not.  It's in a hypothetical python where .len() is a
class operation instead of a global function.

> In any case, list comprehensions are a recent (version 2.2 I think?)
> addition to Python. You have to think about the functionality
> available back in the days when the decision to make len() a function was
> made, not based on what functionality is available a decade later. 

Correct, so the answer to the OP's question might well be "it's that
way because of historical accidents".