tail.py

def tail(f, n, offset=None):
    """Reads a n lines from f with an offset of offset lines.  The return
    value is a tuple in the form ``(lines, has_more)`` where `has_more` is
    an indicator that is `True` if there are more lines in the file.
    """
    avg_line_length = 74
    to_read = n + (offset or 0)

    while 1:
        try:
            f.seek(-(avg_line_length * to_read), 2)
        except IOError:
            # woops.  apparently file is smaller than what we want
            # to step back, go to the beginning instead
            f.seek(0)
        pos = f.tell()
        lines = f.read().splitlines()
        if len(lines) >= to_read or pos == 0:
            return lines[-to_read:offset and -offset or None], \
                   len(lines) > to_read or pos > 0
        avg_line_length *= 1.3