queue for large objects, object references

[Josiah Carlson]

> Is the data transferred or only a reference?

Everything in Python can be thought of as passed by reference.  This 
will mean different things to different people, which is why you should 
look at these examples.


 >>> def funct(i):
...     i += 1
...
 >>> k = 8
 >>> funct(k)
 >>> k
8

The integer doesn't get updated, because integers are immutable.


 >>> def funct(l):
...     l = []
...
 >>> k = [1,2,3]
 >>> funct(k)
 >>> k
[1, 2, 3]

Pointing the name 'l' to a new list object, doesn't change the object 
that 'k' points to.


 >>> def funct(l):
...     l[:] = []
...
 >>> k = [4,5,6]
 >>> funct(k)
 >>> k
[]

The list only gets updated when you actually modify the list pointed to 
by the list named 'l'.


There are literally hundreds more examples I could go through.  I'll let 
you try to figure a few of those out.

  - Josiah