Explanation of list reference

[pecore at pascolo.net]

dave em <daveandem2000 at gmail.com> writes:

> He is asking a question I am having trouble answering which is how a
> variable containing a value differs from a variable containing a
> list or more specifically a list reference.

s/list/mutable object/

# Mr Bond and Mr Tont are two different ob^H^H persons
james_bond = SecretAgent()
james_tont = SecretAgent()

# in some circles, Mr Bond is know as agent 007
agent_007 = james_bond

# Mr Bond, aka 007, is sent to the Caribbeans to crush Spectre
agent_007.move_to('Barbados')
print agent_007.location
print james_bond.location

# Mr Bond, alas, retires and his place in the Mi5 is taken, alas, by Mr Tont
agent_007 = james_tont

# Mr Tont, aka 007, is sent to Hong Kong to, to, whatever... 
agent_007.move_to('Hong Kong')
print agent_007.location
print james_bond.location