On Monday, March 14, 2016 at 9:19:04 AM UTC-5, alister wrote: > A code smell does not necessarily mean the code is wrong, > just that it warrants investigation as there is a strong > possibility it may be sub- optimal
Yes, technically speaking, you're correct. But the concept of "code smell" has become something of a scarlet letter within the programming community. Once you apply it to someone's code, the stigma becomes very difficult to rub off -- and not just the "external" stigma you feel radiating from scornful stares of your peers, but the "self-imposed" stigma as well. It has become a derogatory term, and sadly, one that is thrown around much too carelessly. Sure, there are legitimate instances where the term should be applied, but in the case of "zip vs explicit sequence indexing", the usage of this term could influence a "less experienced Python programmer", to adopt a very dangerous habit *SIMPLY* because he does not want to be labeled a "bad programmer". But the irony is, he may produce worse code by blindly reaching for his "sequence zipper"! The zip function is not something you should get in the habit of using without first considering the consequences of *EACH SPECIFIC USE-CASE*. Yes, it can be helpful at times, and yes, it can make code easier to read. But it can also create subtle bugs. Personally, i choose to avoid it, but others should make the decision for themselves. In a nutshell, the zip function is both "elegantly powerful" and "cunningly destructive". So buyer beware. Because, Python.org ain't no Walmart folks, and they sure as hell don't give refunds for sequence members that evaporated into the ether, after you adopted the bad habit of using zip, simply because -> "Mark said so"! -- https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
