> Even if ary.last is one more character, it uses less of my brain to read than ary[-1]
This has nothing to do with whether it's a good idea. If you read a lot of python code, the latter is easier to grok. And when you have separate ways of doing things, it takes a longer and longer time to absorb those idioms and internalize them to the point where you don't need to think. Adding a bunch of "convenience" methods that do minor permutations on common operations might read better when a line of code is given as an isolated example, because it can read more like an english sentence. But when you're reading over code, the resemblance to english only helps when you're looking at application code which isn't a part of the language or standard library. Having the language and standard library present a single way to do things makes it easier to get to a base level of familiarity.
Endless variety in doing simple things doesn't buy you much.
That being said, the python stdlib is full of stuff built up over many years, so it doesn't follow that idea everywhere. Also, higher level design is never going to fit into the TOOWTDI concept because things at that level are more subjective.
This has nothing to do with whether it's a good idea. If you read a lot of python code, the latter is easier to grok. And when you have separate ways of doing things, it takes a longer and longer time to absorb those idioms and internalize them to the point where you don't need to think. Adding a bunch of "convenience" methods that do minor permutations on common operations might read better when a line of code is given as an isolated example, because it can read more like an english sentence. But when you're reading over code, the resemblance to english only helps when you're looking at application code which isn't a part of the language or standard library. Having the language and standard library present a single way to do things makes it easier to get to a base level of familiarity.
Endless variety in doing simple things doesn't buy you much.
That being said, the python stdlib is full of stuff built up over many years, so it doesn't follow that idea everywhere. Also, higher level design is never going to fit into the TOOWTDI concept because things at that level are more subjective.