[Python-ideas] Proposal for an inplace else (?=) operator

[Anders Hovmöller]

> If Python were going to address this problem, I think it better to do something like:
> 
>          def teleport(from, to, hitchiker => Fly(), accessory => Towel(hitchhiker)):
>              etc.
> 
> Where => specifies an expression thst is evaluated inside the function and Is approximately equivalent to your code except it works even if the caller passes None. (I don't know what the right syntax for this would be. I just picked => as something that is suggestive, not legal today and isn't ?= to avoid confusion with your proposal.)

I was gonna reply pretty much exactly this! I was gonna suggest this syntax:

def foo(a=new {}):

Which is a bit more explicit I think, but smells a bit C++.

/ Anders