On Mon, 9 Jul 2018 at 12:05 Guido van Rossum <gu...@python.org> wrote:
> I think this is worth a try. > How far do we want to go with this? Update the docs? Update the grammar and/or code? I think the former is probably good enough for now to see if it takes, and if it does then we can talk about updating code to not confuse people. > > On Mon, Jul 9, 2018 at 12:04 PM Chris Barker - NOAA Federal < > chris.bar...@noaa.gov> wrote: > >> TL;DR- >> >> +1 on advocating the term “generator comprehension” as a synonym for >> “generator expression” in future documentation and instructional >> materials. >> >> The long version: >> >> If we were starting from scratch, maybe it would makes sense to use “ >> builder” or something else, rather than comprehension. But we’re not >> starting from scratch. >> >> And “list comprehension” has become a pretty universal (or at least >> common) term in the python world. So we really can’t expect to re-name >> that. >> >> And despite the term having its roots in an esoteric corner of >> mathematics, I’ve never seen anyone confused by it — it’s just a new >> word for a new thing to most folks. >> >> Which is actually why “generator expression” is a bit confusing — it >> seems to have more in common with comprehensions than with generators >> >> (As in: the things functions with a yield in them produce) >> >> In fact, the term “generator” is a bit confusing itself — due to it >> being a common English word, it seems to refer to the generic idea of >> “a thing that generates values on the fly”, which, of course it can be >> in Python. But it actually is a specific type. And you can make a >> “thing that generates values in the fly” with a regular class that >> follows the iterator protocol. >> >> So re-using the word in “generator expression” just adds a bit to the >> confusion. (Even though it’s technically correct, it does “make” an >> actual generator object, doesn’t it? (On a phone, so I can’t check) >> but that’s kind of an implementation detail. >> >> Also: if you google: “python list comprehension” you get a LOT of hits >> to tutorials, etc. >> >> So it is WAY too late to change that name. >> >> When you google “python generator expression” the top hit is the >> python docs, and the next few are about comparing generator >> expressions and list comprehensions. >> >> So I think we could start a new naming scheme for those. >> >> ‘cause then we’d get lost of questions about the difference between >> generator expressions and generator comprehensions ;-) >> >> >> -CHB >> > > > -- > --Guido van Rossum (python.org/~guido) >
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