string='a' p=0 while (p <len(string)) & (string[p]!='c') : p +=1 print ('the end but the process already died ') while (p <1) & (string[p]!='c') : IndexError: string index out of range I want to test a condition up to the end of a string (example string length=1) why are both parts of the and executed is the condition is already false! as long as p < len(string). the second part does not even need executing. if it does a lot of performance can be lost