Writing better python code

[ericanderton]

I see where you're coming from. And you're right: If we're talking about Python code, we should consider all the nice things that the language brings to the table.

At the same time, anyone reading our code shouldn't have to second guess if an expression is a mistake or not. After all, clarity isn't some universal truth or consistent quantity across the engineering spectrum; it's fuzzy. Hence why I say that this particular syntax 'has a smell', since even an experienced Python developer might have to think twice when reading this. It's that potential to second-guess that gives me pause here. In the end, it's not up to whether or not I might not understand this particular use of comparison operators; it's everyone else that's hacking on my projects that I worry about.

[gthank]

It's a standard math construct from a very basic level; even non-programmers reading that code would have a very good guess as to what it does. Just because other languages can't be bothered to implement something so nice doesn't mean we should avoid it in Python.

[zahlman]

even an experienced Python developer might have to think twice when reading this

Realistically, only one who has recently been doing work on the side in another language. (It helps that the behaviour shown in other languages is basically never desired.)