Long strings as function parameters

[Terry Reedy]

"Dan Bishop" <danb_83 at yahoo.com> wrote in message 
news:1105290325.030128.146490 at c13g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> In Python, *every* expression is a pointer.

Minor but to me important nit: this should start "In the CPython 
implementation of Python" ...

Humans can understand and execute Python code without knowing about 
computer memory addresses (pointers).  Other computer languages can also do 
something slightly different from CPython, as I believe is the case with 
Jython.

The Python language is defined by sematics, not by mechanisms, especially 
low-level interpreter-specific mechanisms.  This is a large part of what 
makes it readable.

To the OP: a Python function call binds argument objects to either local 
parameter names or slots within a named catchall list or dict.  Like other 
binding (assignment) operations, there is no copying.

Terry J. Reedy