e-mail address change (was Re: [Tutor] python's default argument value handling in functions - weird syntax? problem grappling with the concept)

[Ismael Garrido]

Danny Yoo wrote:

>###
>
>def f(a,L=[]):
>    if L==[5]:
>        print 'L==[5] caught'
>        print L
>        print 'resetting L...'
>        L=[]
>    L.append(a)
>    return L
>  
>
>###
>
Now I'm dizzy... I can't understand why there are two "L"!
L is a local variable of the function, right? (I can't imagine it being 
anything else) Then if I reassign L to something, why doesn't it keep 
that change till next run? At least, it keeps the values in the list.. 
so it should keep the reassignation, no?
I'm completly puzzled :-S

Ismael