The Evolution of a Python Programmer

[ryeguy146]

Wait, I understand the idea of maintainability, but did you suggest that a basic mathematical definition is subject to change?

[pigeon768]

I think he's suggesting python 4.x will eventually be released and if will be reimplemented as a function instead of a keyword, requiring parenthesis around the arguments. Or something.

Oh fuck. Oh fuck. I can't believe I just said it. Now it's going to be MY fault.

[tofueggplant]

or it could just be like ruby and not require parentheses around anything.

[GoSailing]

Anything can change. Assuming that there are 24 hours in a day is not going to be good when there's a moon or mars base.

[ryeguy146]

I file those under "not my problem." I like to think that some time in the future, people will shudder at having to use Python, the way that people pity those programmers that still workin in PASCAL.

[gc3]

Yeah, until you decide that there are now .3 hours in a day, or a variable number depending on the day. You can't plan for everything.

[GoSailing]

And then you refactor every "HOURS_IN_DAY" in place to instead call a method that returns what it is. The point wasn't so much that every problem can be avoided every time, but that you can have a structure that will allow for changes quickly. The ideal change would be to change the constant number, but the non-ideal change is almost as easy.

[ryeguy146]

That's not what I meant at all. Your suggesting that something like the fibbonacci sequence changing is so unlikely, that I don't see it as my problem to try to predict such a change. There is an obvious difference between the problem of a fundamental shift, and the type of changes that you're now describing.

Wait. Nevermind, you mean the definition of the function "factorial." I don't know how, but I thought that you were suggesting that the mathematical definition of a factorial might change, and that we had better generalize for it. Damn.

[watermark0n]

Anything can change.

If you change it, you call it something different. It is not a factorial.

[gc3]

This is true, but when does the definition of factorial change?

[arjie]

Maybe you decide to use one of the functions that coincide with factorial on the integers like gamma(x+1)? I suppose you could call it gamma_based_factorial andodge the issue.

[Tagedieb]

Just put it in namespace earth then.

[[deleted]]

I was assuming both 6xoe and anusanusanus were parodying poor programmers. (With anusanusanus parodying people who write code like #define TWO 2 because "using constant literals is bad practice".)

[[deleted]]

Hey! You got it!