Call by binding [was Re: [Tutor] beginning to code]

[Antoon Pardon]

On 25-09-17 16:29, Marko Rauhamaa wrote:
> Antoon Pardon <antoon.pardon at vub.be>:
> 
>> Op 25-09-17 om 15:16 schreef Marko Rauhamaa:
>>> No, I'm not. I'm talking about pointers in the abstract sense, both in
>>> case of Python and Pascal. Neither language gives any hint as to the
>>> physical nature of the pointer.
>>
>> Yes you are. Python doesn't have pointers at the language level. So if
>> you start talking pointers you are talking about implementations
>> however abstract.
> 
> It is difficult to say what is the "native" Python term for the thing.
> "Binding," maybe? The language spec fails to give it a name.
> 
> However, when comparing different languages, you had better unify the
> terminology or you'll be confused by purely terminological issues.

Fine, you have two mappings, a mapping from names to identities and a
mapping from identities to values. In languages like C, Pascal, ...
an assignment changes the mapping between the identities and the
values. In languages like Python, Smalltalk, ... an assignment
changes the mapping between the names and the identities.

-- 
Antoon Pardon