file.readlines() (and perhaps dare I say even file.readline()) should not even be mentioned in the tutorial, IMO. It is difficult to imagine a use case where just iterating over the file object isn't superior. I cannot remember the last time that I have used either of these methods. They ought to be relegated to the library docs. Presenting `for line in a_file:` as merely "An alternative approach" in the official tutorial is practically archaic.