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Opening files in Python · 7. July 2004, 22:09

file or open?

I suspect that I’m not alone in believing that file should be preferred over open for opening files in Python. [Python-Dev] file() or open()? is a recent thread on python-dev where Guido encourages Python programmers to code otherwise.

My belief almost certainly stems from a statement in the excellent Python Tutorial which appears to indicate that file should be preferred. This statement is alluded to in this message . Guido promptly responds with a suggested rewording which should clarify the issue for everyone.

Python-dev

As an aside, I only started reading python-dev since I got a GMail account. Previously I couldn’t justify the extra mail to be downloaded by my already overburdened 56k modem (broadband access in Ireland is slow coming, see Ireland Offline for all the gory details). GMail has proved a god send for tracking lists – the grouping of mail by conversations is invaluable. I’ll be writing another post soon with more of my impressions of GMail (I want to send some of those impressions as feedback to Google first).

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