basic question: target assignment in for loop

[Kawaldeep Grewal]

In article <h1k6a.302735$AA2.11514514 at news2.tin.it>,
 Alex Martelli <aleax at aleax.it> wrote:

: The terms "by value" and "by reference" are somewhat muddled.  But
: anyway, in Python, ANY statement of the form
: 
:     <simple name> = <expression>
: 
: in ANY context and WITHOUT exceptions, re-binds the simple name to
: the expression's value, and NEVER affects in any way, shape, or
: form, whatever object (if any) was previously bound to the same
: simple name (a footnote for pedants: if the re-binding leaves no
: references at all to the "whatever object", Python is then free
: to garbage collect it either immediately or later, of course, but
: that doesn't affect the rule).
: 
: I don't see how this simple, general, universal rule bereft of any
: exception can be said to "break the abstraction".

thank you for the explanation, indeed that was my hanging point.

about the abstraction: when one writes `for line in list:' one (okay, I) 
expects to be able to affect that line with an assignment using the 
`line' target. That is where my assumptions failed me.


thanks again,

Kawaldeep

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