Just as sets may now be written as {3,'hi'}, I propose that slices should be available using [start:end] syntax. Following example comes from projecteuler.net problem 166. The Numeric community would also like this, as would the general python user. The slice notation would require one ":" between the brackets to differentiate it from a list, which is similar to the set notation requirement that disambiguates it from a dictionary.
Several times now I've wanted python slice notation. Perhaps I'll write a Python Enhancement Proposal. I stored slices of vector array entries to add edge = 4 indexes = [] n = edge nn = n**2 for i in range(edge): indexes.extend([ slice(i*n,(i+1)*n,1), # rows slice(i,nn,n), # cols ]) row_slices = indexes[0::2] col_slices = indexes[1::2] slash = slice(n-1,n*(n-1)+1,n-1) backslash = slice(0,nn,n+1) Which could have been written in a manner completely consistent with other python shorthand notations and for which python "cannot possibly" use the notation for some other purpose, edge = 4 indexes = [] n = edge nn = n**2 for i in range(edge): indexes.extend([ [i*n: (i+1)*n] # rows [i: nn: n], # cols ]) row_slices = indexes[0::2] col_slices = indexes[1::2] slash = [n-1: n*(n-1)+1: n-1] backslash = [0: nn: n+1] -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list