'''
Created on Sep 15, 2016

@author: Susan
'''

def modify(name):
    alist = name.split()
    if len(alist) == 1:  # just one word
        return name
    if len(alist) == 2:  # two words
        return alist[1] + ", " + alist[0]
    middle = alist[1:-1]  # all the middle names
    result = middle[0][0]  # first letter of first middle name
    #print middle
    for w in middle[1:]:  # over all but the first middle names
        result = result + " " + w[0] + "."
    return alist[-1] + "," + alist[0] + result
    
if __name__ == '__main__':
    print "prince:", modify("prince")
    nom = "Purple Dragon"
    print nom+":", modify(nom)
    nom = "this is a really long name"
    print nom+":", modify(nom)