Is there a significant difference between: if not a == 'bar' and if a != 'bar'?
<p>Is this just two ways to write the same code? Is there any functional difference I should be aware of? </p>

<pre><code>&gt;&gt;&gt; a = 'foo'
&gt;&gt;&gt; if not a == 'bar':
...     'its not'
... 
'its not'
&gt;&gt;&gt; if a != 'bar':
...     'its not'
... 
'its not'
</code></pre>
