better way to clear a list

IPython/Extensions/clearcmd.py

@@ -1,38 +1,35
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 """ IPython extension: add %clear magic """
 
 import IPython.ipapi
 ip = IPython.ipapi.get()
 
-def clear_list(l):
-    while l:
-        l.pop()
 
 def clear_f(self,arg):
     """ Clear various data (e.g. stored history data)
     
     %clear out - clear output history
     %clear in  - clear input history
     """
     
     api = self.getapi()
     for target in arg.split():
         if target == 'out':
             print "Flushing output cache (%d entries)" % len(api.user_ns()['_oh'])
             self.outputcache.flush()
         elif target == 'in':
             print "Flushing input history"
             from IPython import iplib
-            clear_list(self.input_hist)
-            clear_list(self.input_hist_raw)
+            del self.input_hist[:]
+            del self.input_hist_raw[:]
             for n in range(1,self.outputcache.prompt_count + 1):
                 key = '_i'+`n`
                 try:
                     del self.user_ns[key]
                 except: pass
 
 ip.expose_magic("clear",clear_f)