[Python-Dev] Need discussion for a PR about memory and objects

[Glenn Linderman]

On 11/19/2018 4:14 PM, Chris Barker via Python-Dev wrote:
> On Mon, Nov 19, 2018 at 1:41 AM Antoine Pitrou <solipsis at pitrou.net 
> <mailto:solipsis at pitrou.net>> wrote:
>
>     I'd rather keep the reference to memory addressing than start
>     doing car
>     analogies in the reference documentation.
>
>
> I agree -- and any of the car analogies will probably be only valid in 
> some jurisdictions, anyway.
>
> I think being a bit more explicit about what properties an ID has, and 
> how the id() function works, and we may not need an anlogy at all, 
> it's not that difficult a concept. And methions that in c_python the 
> id is (currently) the memory address is a good idea for those that 
> will wonder about it, and if there is enough explanation, folks that 
> don't know about memory addresses will not get confused.
>
> This is what's in the docs now (3.8.0a0):
>
> """
> Every object has an identity, a type and a value. An object’s identity 
> never changes once it has been created; you may think of it as the 
> object’s address in memory. The ‘is’ operator compares the identity of 
> two objects; the id() function returns an integer representing its 
> identity.
>
> **CPython implementation detail:** For CPython, id(x) is the memory 
> address where x is stored.
> """
>
> I suggest something like the following:
>
> """
> Every object has an identity, a type and a value. An object’s identity 
> uniquely identifies the object. It will remain the same as long as 
> that object exists. No two different objects will have the same id at 
> the same time, but the same id may be re-used for future objects once 
> one has been deleted. The ‘is’ operator compares the identity of two 
> objects; the id() function returns an integer representing its 
> identity. ``id(object_a) == id(object_b)`` if and only if they are the 
> same object.
>
> **CPython implementation detail:** For CPython, id(x) is the memory 
> address where x is stored.
> """
>

Well re-worded in my opinion.
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