title: First parameter of direct_to_template?
body: <p>I keep seeing calls to <code>direct_to_template</code> include a "request" argument as the first parameter. E.g.</p>
  
  <p><code>direct_to_template(request, 'template/url', template_values)</code></p>
  
  <p>However, the docs do not mention this first parameter. What is this request argument doing, and how is it allowed to be there? </p>
  
  <p><a href="https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/1.4/ref/generic-views/#django-views-generic-simple-direct-to-template" rel="nofollow">Docs</a></p>