[Biopython-dev] SearchIO HSP indexing

[Brad Chapman]

Colin;

>> I'm curious about the benefits of having these values in Python string
>> slicing format? I haven't come across this very often, I'm used to seeing
>> values systematically zero or one-based.

To clarify further in addition to Peter's response, the 0-based
half-open and 1-based closed systems are the two systems you're
referring to. Python, and most programming languages, use the 0-based
half open indexing approach which is what SearchIO is converting to.
Aaron has a nice response on BioStars while explains the differences in
more details:

http://www.biostars.org/p/6373/#6377

Brad