title: re-calling a function (recursion) vs using the while statement in Python
body: <p>Okay, I know you can have  a program keep running while a certain condition is true using the <strong>while statement</strong>. However, is it incorrect or bad practice to just recall the function in the <strong>else</strong> condition like below?</p>
  
  <pre><code>def ask():
      me = input("What is your name? ")
  
      if me == "Tom":
          print("Hi, Tom!")
      else:
          print ("Who are you?")
          ask()
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>It just seems like an easier, shorthand version of the 'while statement' but I haven't really seen  a program executed like this in the Python tutorials.</p>