Python is readable

Sun Mar 18 14:19:23 EDT 2012

On 2012年3月15日 00:34:47 +0100, Kiuhnm wrote:
> I've just started to read
> The Quick Python Book (2nd ed.)
> The author claims that Python code is more readable than Perl code and
> provides this example:
>> --- Perl ---
> sub pairwise_sum {
> my($arg1, $arg2) = @_;
> my(@result) = ();
> @list1 = @$arg1;
> @list2 = @$arg2;
> for($i=0; $i < length(@list1); $i++) {
> push(@result, $list1[$i] + $list2[$i]);
> }
> return(\@result);
> }
>> --- Python ---
> def pairwise_sum(list1, list2):
> result = []
> for i in range(len(list1)):
> result.append(list1[i] + list2[i])
> return result
> --- ---
>> It's quite clear that he knows little about Perl.
> Here's what I would've written:
>> sub pairwise_sum {
> my ($list1, $list2) = @_;
> my @result;
> push @result, $list1->[$_] + $list2->[$_] for (0..@$list1-1);
> \@result;
> }
>> Having said that, the Python code is still more readable, so there's no
> need to misrepresent Perl that way.
> Now I'm wondering whether the author will show me "good" or "bad" Python
> code throughout the book. Should I keep reading?
>> Kiuhnm

I have a simple experience which to me demonstrates python must be fairly 
readable.
I gave a copy of a small utility to a friend of mine, whilst running it 
he found an obscure case that would cause a crash, he has only limited 
programming experience of any sort but from the python trace-back he was 
able to read my code & made a suggestion of what he thought would fix the 
issue, this suggestion was spot on.
-- 
Necessity is a mother.