passing by refference

[Aahz]

In article <87r86zaclk.fsf at charter.net>,
Doug Quale  <quale1 at charter.net> wrote:
>aahz at pythoncraft.com (Aahz) writes:
>> In article <874r3vhp2m.fsf at charter.net>,
>> Doug Quale  <quale1 at charter.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>How do you explain assignment (binding) in Python?  The values there
>>>are references too, right?
>> 
>> Actually, I don't use "value" at all when talking about Python when I
>> can help it, because there's the confusion with "value of an object".
>
>Right, but I ask that that answer be stricken from the record as
>non-responsive.  Python binding does need to be explained, even if you
>don't like to use the word value.  How do you explain it?

Here's what I usually say:

    In Python, names contain bindings to objects.  A binding is a
    reference, but experienced Python programmers do not use "reference"
    because references are not accessible within Python programs (unlike
    pointers in C).
-- 
Aahz (aahz at pythoncraft.com)           <*>         http://www.pythoncraft.com/

"In many ways, it's a dull language, borrowing solid old concepts from
many other languages & styles:  boring syntax, unsurprising semantics,
few automatic coercions, etc etc.  But that's one of the things I like
about it."  --Tim Peters on Python, 16 Sep 93