a.update(b) return a
Why take two short, simple lines with unequivocal meaning and then abbreviate them with something mysterious (or at least something with multiple possible interpretations)? Mappings exist in many languages now. Can you point to another language that has found it worthwhile to have both an update() method and an addition operator? Also, consider that dicts are one of our most basic APIs and many other objects model that API. It behooves us to keep that API as simple and thin as possible. IMO, this change would be gratuituous. None of the code presented so far is significantly improved. Essentially, we're looking at a trivial abbreviation, not an actual offering of new capabilities. -1 all the way around. Raymond