Added stuff about indentation
diff --git a/Misc/FAQ b/Misc/FAQ
index e3495bf..6ece155 100644
--- a/Misc/FAQ
+++ b/Misc/FAQ
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@
Approved: news-answers-request@MIT.Edu
Archive-name: python-faq/part1
-Version: 1.7
-Last-modified: 4 May 1994
+Version: 1.8
+Last-modified: 15 May 1994
This article contains answers to Frequently Asked Questions about
Python (an object-oriented interpreted programming language -- see
@@ -62,11 +62,12 @@
1.2. Q. Why is it called Python?
1.3. Q. How do I obtain a copy of the Python source?
1.4. Q. How do I get documentation on Python?
- 1.5. Q. Is there a newsgroup or mailing list devoted to Python?
- 1.6. Q. Is there a book on Python, or will there be one out soon?
- 1.7. Q. Are there any published articles about Python that I can quote?
- 1.8. Q. How does the Python version numbering scheme work?
- 1.9. Q. Are there other ftp sites that carry Python related material?
+ 1.5. Q. Are there other ftp sites that mirror the Python distribution?
+ 1.6. Q. Is there a newsgroup or mailing list devoted to Python?
+ 1.7. Q. Is there a book on Python, or will there be one out soon?
+ 1.8. Q. Are there any published articles about Python that I can quote?
+ 1.9. Q. How does the Python version numbering scheme work?
+ 1.10. Q. Are there other ftp sites that carry Python related material?
2. Python in the real world
2.1. Q. How many people are using Python?
@@ -120,6 +121,7 @@
in Python? (Persistent == automatically saved to and restored from
disk.)
6.3. Q. Why isn't there a switch or case statement in Python?
+ 6.4. Q. Why does Python use indentation for grouping of statements?
7. Using Python on non-UNIX platforms
7.1. Q. Is there a Mac version of Python?
@@ -194,20 +196,23 @@
described here. PostScript for a high-level description of Python is
in the file nluug-paper.ps.
-The following sites keep mirrors of the Python distribution:
+1.5. Q. Are there other ftp sites that mirror the Python distribution?
+
+A. The following sites keep mirrors of the Python distribution:
Site IP address Directory
gatekeeper.dec.com 16.1.0.2 /pub/plan/python/cwi
ftp.uu.net 192.48.96.9 /languages/python
ftp.wustl.edu 128.252.135.4 /graphics/graphics/sgi-stuff/python
-ftp.funet.fi 128.214.6.100 /pub/languages/python (old?)
+ftp.funet.fi 128.214.6.100 /pub/languages/python
ftp.fu-berlin.de 130.133.4.50 /pub/unix/languages/python (*python* only)
+ftp.sunet.se 130.238.127.3 /pub/lang/python
Or try archie on e.g. python1.0 to locate the nearest copy of that
version...
-1.5. Q. Is there a newsgroup or mailing list devoted to Python?
+1.6. Q. Is there a newsgroup or mailing list devoted to Python?
A. There is a newsgroup, comp.lang.python, and a mailing list. The
newsgroup and mailing list are gatewayed into each other -- if you can
@@ -215,7 +220,7 @@
e-mail to python-list-request@cwi.nl to (un)subscribe to the mailing
list.
-1.6. Q. Is there a book on Python, or will there be one out soon?
+1.7. Q. Is there a book on Python, or will there be one out soon?
A. Unfortunately, not yet. I would like to write one but my
obligations at CWI include too much other work to make much progress
@@ -224,7 +229,7 @@
are no firm plans. If you volunteer help, by all means drop me a
note!
-1.7. Q. Are there any published articles about Python that I can quote?
+1.8. Q. Are there any published articles about Python that I can quote?
A. So far the only refereed and published article that describes
Python in some detail is:
@@ -247,7 +252,7 @@
questions earlier, with filenames nluug-paper.ps and nluug-slides.ps,
respectively.
-1.8. Q. How does the Python version numbering scheme work?
+1.9. Q. How does the Python version numbering scheme work?
A. Python versions are numbered A.B.C. A is the major version number
-- it is only incremented for major changes in functionality or source
@@ -257,7 +262,7 @@
added significant changes; in fact the changeover from 0.9.9 to 1.0.0
was the first time that either A or B changed!
-1.9. Q. Are there other ftp sites that carry Python related material?
+1.10. Q. Are there other ftp sites that carry Python related material?
A. An interesting ftp site for Python users is ftp.markv.com
(192.122.251.1); the directory pub/python contains a growing
@@ -606,6 +611,42 @@
statement syntax, but there is no concensus (yet) on whether and how
to do range tests.
+6.4. Q. Why does Python use indentation for grouping of statements?
+
+A. Basically I believe that using indentation for grouping is
+extremely elegant and contributes a lot to the clarity of the average
+Python program. Most people learn to love this feature after a while.
+Some arguments for it:
+
+- Since there are no begin/end brackets there cannot be a disagreement
+between grouping perceived by the parser and the human reader. I
+remember long ago seeing a C fragment like this:
+
+ if (x <= y)
+ x++;
+ y--;
+ z++;
+
+and staring a long time at it wondering why y was being decremented
+even for x > y... (And I wasn't a C newbie then either.)
+
+- Since there are no begin/end brackets there can be no conflicting
+coding styles. In C there are loads of different ways to place the
+braces (including the choice whether to place braces around single
+statements in certain cases, for consistency). If you're used to
+reading (and writing) code that uses one style, you will feel at least
+slightly uneasy when reading (or being required to write) another
+style.
+
+- Many coding styles place begin/end brackets on a line by themself.
+This makes programs considerably longer and wastes valuable screen
+space, making it harder to get a good overview over a program.
+Ideally, a function should fit on one basic tty screen (say, 20
+lines). 20 lines of Python are worth a LOT more than 20 lines of C.
+This is not solely due to the lack of begin/end brackets (the lack of
+declarations also helps, and the powerful operations of course), but
+it certainly helps!
+
7. Using Python on non-UNIX platforms
=====================================