Dear python shell:

[foxfirefey]

Most of the time when I want to quit using you, I do something like this:

>>> exit
Use exit() or Ctrl-D (i.e. EOF) to exit

I am not sure why, if you know enough about what I want to give me a warning message about what I should Properly Do, you couldn't just exit and save me the headdesking trouble!

Other than that, I love you, so I am hoping you have a Really Good reason for this that I just don't know about.

Comments

[perquisitor_omnia]

Technical Explanation: It is because all commands to the python interpreter are either keywords or built-in functions of Python. exit() would be how one would exit a python script as well.

Easy Explanation: It is because most programmers are pathological sticklers for exactness.

[foxfirefey]

But...but...then why not give me back this!

>>> exit
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "", line 1, in 
NameError: name 'exit' is not defined

[perquisitor_omnia]

Probably because they thought that the error message as it stands was more informative? And as I said they are pedants. And I must say that the python interactive interpreter is much more picky than PERL's "if it looks like it might be program code it probably is" mentality.

[foxfirefey]

I have to say, I don't mind whitespace being significant when I'm coding in a file, but if not for jEdit's rectangular select, it would totally be a pain in the ass when trying to test it out on the console and copy pasting from an indent or so in.