Q: What does "Sparse is better than dense" mean? (Python Zen)

In article <33803989.0207110328.5ef01f1e at posting.google.com>,
Miki Tebeka <tebeka at cs.bgu.ac.il> wrote:
>>Although it's in the Humor section I take the Python Zen>(http://www.python.org/doc/Humor.html#zen) quite seriously.>However I can understand what does “Sparse is better than>dense” means.

Here's a better example than the one Peter gave:

    if i>0: return sqrt(i)
    elif i==0: return 0
    else: return 1j * sqrt(-i)

versus

    if i>0:
        return sqrt(i)
    elif i==0:
        return 0
    else:
        return 1j * sqrt(-i)

To rephrase the dictum another way, "Don't try to stick too much code on
one line."
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