Reversing a string

[Martin Durkin]

Duncan Booth <duncan.booth at invalid.invalid> wrote in
news:Xns996067AFF71DDduncanbooth at 127.0.0.1: 

> Martin Durkin <nospam at williamsdurkin.co.uk> wrote:
> 
>>>>>> def rev(x):
>>>             mylist = []
>>>             for char in x:
>>>                  mylist.append(char)
>>>             mylist.reverse()
>>>             for letter in mylist:
>>>                  print letter
>>> 
>>> However, compare the incredible difference in clarity and elegance
>>> between that and:
>>> 
>>>> >>> print "\n".join("spam"[::-1])
>>> 
>> 
>> OK, maybe I'm missing the point here as I'm new to Python. The first
>> one seems clearer to me. What am I missing?
>> 
> I think all you are missing is familarity with Python, but I too don't
> like one-liners simply for their own sake.
> 

I guess that's it. The first one reads more like a textbook example which 
is about where I am at. Is there any speed benefit from the one liner?
thanks
Martin