[Tutor] Read a file, Load a dictionary

[Steven D'Aprano]

On Fri, Jul 25, 2014 at 07:15:38AM +0100, Alan Gauld wrote:
> On 25/07/14 04:00, Steven D'Aprano wrote:
> 
> >>3.5 is a dev version.  Not for production nor for learning python
> >>  one gets it by fetching from the repository and doing their own
> >>  compile.
> >
> >Do you figure that many beginners to Python are doing that?
> 
> I think Dave was being a bit tongue in cheek.
> He was responding to the lack of information in the OPs post
> by picking an extreme example. At least that's how I read it.

:-)

Of course he was. And I was responding equally tongue in cheek. 

Sometimes the version number or operating system is as irrelevant to the 
question as is the manufacturer of their computer's memory, the brand of 
the hard drive, or the colour of their mouse. "More information" is not 
always useful, sometimes it just gets in the way, and if the answer we 
give does not depend on X then I don't think there's any good reason to 
insist that people tell us X and get snarky if they don't.

There's nothing wrong with answering "We need more information", and it 
seems to me that specifically making the point that the OP didn't report 
something of little or no relevence to the question up-front is rather 
passive-aggressive. No offence intended to Dave, who is usually very 
helpful but occasionally acts like an old grump shouting "You young'uns 
get off my lawn!" :-)

(As I've been known to do myself, from time to time, most recently 
with my snark about Twitter, so I do sympathise with him.)


-- 
Steven