On 6 sep, 18:14, geremy condra <debat...@gmail.com> wrote: > On Mon, Sep 6, 2010 at 8:53 AM, Baba <raoul...@gmail.com> wrote: > > On 6 sep, 16:58, Thomas Jollans <tho...@jollybox.de> wrote: > >> On Monday 06 September 2010, it occurred to Baba to exclaim: > > >> > On 6 sep, 00:01, Benjamin Kaplan <benjamin.kap...@case.edu> wrote: > >> > > On Sun, Sep 5, 2010 at 5:47 PM, Baba <raoul...@gmail.com> wrote: > >> > > > level: beginner > > >> > > > how can i access the contents of a text file in Python? > > >> > > > i would like to compare a string (word) with the content of a text > >> > > > file (word_list). i want to see if word is in word_list. let's assume > >> > > > the TXT file is stored in the same directory as the PY file. > > >> > > > def is_valid_word(word, word_list) > > >> > > > thanks > >> > > > Baba > >> > > > -- > > >> > > >http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list > > >> > > Please do us a favor and at least try to figure things out on your > >> > > own, rather than coming here every time you have a question. The very > >> > > first result when you try searching "python read text file" is the > >> > > section in the Python tutorial that explains how to do this. > > >> > >http://docs.python.org/tutorial/inputoutput.html#reading-and-writing-... > > >> > Hi Benjamin > > >> > I did find that page prior to posting the question but i still wanted > >> > to have a second opinion to complement that info so as to make things > >> > easier The first line of my post clearly states that i am a beginner. > >> > It's nice to provide links which can help answer the question but > >> > please be so polite and keep personal comments for yourself. > > >> That is of course perfectly legitimate. It would however have been polite > >> to > >> state that in the question. Show us that you're doing your homework, and > >> not > >> just using the list as a cheap path to having to think less yourself. > > >> Phrasing your post as "I would like to compare a ... I found the open() > >> function here: [link]. Is this what I should use of is there any > >> other/better > >> way?" makes a completely different impression. > > >> Also, keeping personal comments to one's self is just not how it works. On > >> a > >> list like this especially, answers along the lines of "That's the way to do > >> what you were asking for, but are you sure the question went into the right > >> direction? Have you thought of [...]?" can often be very helpful. > > >> > To all other respondants: thank you for your kind instructions and > >> > directions. > > > Thanks Thomas. Look up some of my questions this group and read > > through them and come back to tell me if a) i use this forum to learn > > without making any efforts myself > > Just a quick point- when you ask someone for help, it's considered > impolite to tell them what to do. > > I'd also point out that you gave no indication that you'd worked on > this at all before posting it. In that regard, Thomas's concern seems > completely justified to me. > > > or b) i use this forum to get > > started using the expertise of more knowledgeable programmers while at > > the same time particiapting. > > Again, Thomas's concern seems justified to me. Things would probably > go more smoothly if you gave a better indication of what you had done > so far on the problem in the future. > > > Anyway having this discussion is beside > > the point. Any Expert out there who thinks we beginners are some dumb > > idiots who are too stupid to think for themselves and are lucky to > > have a bunch of geniuses like you to help, get lost or make yourself a > > cup of tea but please give me a break from teaching me lessons... > > I don't think all beginners are idiots, or even most of them- but this > isn't the right attitude to be taking. Both Thomas and myself thought > that this was inappropriate enough to mention it, and if two people > spoke up you can bet a lot more were thinking it quietly. My > suggestion would be to moderate your approach and demonstrate what > you've done so far (if only to increase the signal-to-noise ratio as > your problems become more challenging) when posting. I'd also refrain > from telling people to get lost; it doesn't make people happy to help > you, you know? > > Geremy Condra
Thanks Jeremy, i will take your advice on board! Noone likes to be taught lessons i think so it is only normal that i reacted. If i had received a friendly response from Benjamin (as opposed to "Please do us a favor and at least try to figure things out on your own") making me aware of the etiquette that my post should also show that i have researched my question somehow and if his tone would have been mannered then we would not be having this discussion now. Ok now i need to go back to actual Pythoon learning, i'm getting distracted. Kind regards, Baba -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
