[Python-ideas] Short form for keyword arguments and dicts

[Stephen J. Turnbull]

Greg Ewing writes:

 > > I cannot think of any other syntax, certainly not in Python, which relies 
 > > on a name being precisely one value rather than another in order to 
 > > work.
 > 
 > Pardon? *Every* time you use a name, you're relying on it
 > being the same as at least one other name somewhere else.

Ah, but here we have the case of two *different* names that are
spelled the same[1], and what Steven is pointing out is that for this
syntax to work, these different names that are spelled the same must
stay in sync.  If one's spelling changes, the other must change
spelling, too.


Footnotes: 
[1]  That is, they are names in disjoint namespaces.  Amusingly
enough, there is a Stephen J. Turnbull who is a well-known expert on
Japanese history, especially military history. Nice guy, no relation,
never met in real space, so no confusion for us, no need for =Stephen
syntax.  But it confuses the heck out of ninja fanatics. ;-)