def ask_ok(prompt, retries=4, complaint='Yes or no, please!'):
while True:
ok = input(prompt)
if ok in ('y', 'ye', 'yes'):
return True
if ok in ('n', 'no', 'nop', 'nope'):
return False
retries = retries - 1
if retries < 0:
raise OSError('uncooperative user')
print(complaint)
