Sorted Returns List and Reversed Returns Iterator

[++imanshu]

Hi,

Is there a reason why two similarly named functions Sorted and
Reversed return different types of data or is it an accident.

Thanks,
++imanshu

[Fredrik Lundh]

John Machin wrote:

reversed came later; returning an iterator rather than a list provides
more flexibility.

As in flexibility for the implementer, the day someone invents a sort
algorithm that doesn't have to look at all source items before it starts
producing output?

Because I fail to see how returning an object that supports forward
iteration only is more flexible for the *user* than returning an object
that supports random access, mutation, restartable iteration, *and*
forward iteration.

</F>