Python FAQ (Was: Re: Confusion: assignments create object references.)

[Robin Munn]

Peter Hansen <peter at engcorp.com> wrote:
[snip a very good explanation of names and references]
> (A lengthy explanation for what others have explained better and more
> succinctly in the past.  Search the archives for them, and check the 
> FAQ, if you are still confused.)

Actually, I've re-written the same explanation multiple times in the
past myself. I usually look in the FAQ or in Google archives and can't
find anything that really jumps out at me as being exactly what is
needed. This is clearly a frequently-asked question, but can you find it
in the FAQ? I couldn't.

In fact, the Python FAQ needs some trimming, IMHO. With the "Programming
in Python" section containing over 100 questions, few are going to have
the patience to sit down and read the entire list to see if their
question is on the list. Thus we get the same questions over and over in
the newsgroup. The FAQ is not serving its purpose.

I am not suggesting we get rid of the information currently contained
in the FAQ, but we should probably refactor the FAQ into two levels: one
for the truly frequently-asked questions, and one for "Here are more
questions that crop up from time to time; look through this for useful
nuggets of information." I think a shorter FAQ would be read a lot more
often.

-- 
Robin Munn <rmunn at pobox.com>
http://www.rmunn.com/
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