IsString

[Tom Anderson]

On Tue, 13 Dec 2005, Fredrik Lundh wrote:

> Steve Holden wrote:
>
>> In Python a name (*not* a "variable", though people do talk loosely 
>> about "instance variables" and "class variables" just to be able to use 
>> terms familiar to users of other to languages)  is simply *bound* to a 
>> value. The only storage that is required, therefore, is enough to hold 
>> a pointer (to the value currently bound to the name).
>
> in tom's world, the value of an object is the pointer to the object, not 
> the object itself,

If you meant "he value of a *variable* is a pointer to an object, not the 
object itself", then bingo, yes, that's what it's like in my world.

> so I'm not sure he can make sense of your explanation.

The explanation makes perfect sense - i think the names-values-bindings 
terminology is consistent, correct and clear. It's just that i think that 
the variables-objects-pointers terminology is equally so, so i object to 
statements like "python is not pass-by-value".

tom

-- 
The sky above the port was the colour of television, tuned to a dead
channel