From: "Alex Martelli" <aleax@aleax.it> > On Monday 30 September 2002 02:36 am, David Abrahams wrote: > > I note that > > http://www.python.org/dev/doc/devel/lib/built-in-funcs.html#l2h-14 > > describes dict as a built-in function, whereas we all know that Guido's > > cool 2.2 changes made it into a type > > > > >>> dict > > > > <type 'dict'> > > > > Does this distinction matter? A little, I think. Calling it a function > > makes it sound like we're living in the past. Same goes for str, type, > > list, tuple, et. al. I realize that the type (especially <type 'type'>) > > acts like a function under many circumstances... > > Trying to cover both 2.1 and 2.2 in the coming Nutshell, I've resorted to > periphrases such as "the built-in dict" or "the dict built-in" (the latter > uses "built-in" as a noun, I'm not yet sure the editor will let that go by). > > I've also tried to use 'callable' systematically instead of 'function' > wherever other callables (types, bound-methods, etc) can be substituted > in lieu of functions. In documenting 2.2 or 2.3 only, I think such hedging > is not warranted. It's important, when feasible, to clarify what built-ins > are types -- a type has MORE functionality than a function, after all (in > particular, one can subclass it, while one can't subclass a function). It's probably also worth noting that the dict type is not documented anywhere, except as a function. -Dave
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