What is a function parameter =[] for?

[Laura Creighton]

In a message of Wed, 25 Nov 2015 11:39:54 +1100, "Steven D'Aprano" writes:
>I'm not sure what value [ha, see what I did there?!] there is in inventing
>two new words for things that we already have standard terms for.

Done correctly, you can get clarity.

>"Referent" is just a funny way of saying "object", and "evalue" is just a
>misspelling of "value".

If I had a time machine, I would go back to early days of Python and
ban the use of the term 'assignment' and 'value' both.  I would insist
that the term 'binding' be used instead, though if you want to use the
verb refer, to be synonymous with bind, well, I think that would work.
(If not, next trip with the time machine, I ban that one as well.)
Then you make it perfectly clear that what are bound are _objects_
not values (or evalues).  The object has an evalue, but it is the
object that is bound.

It is crystal clear than people on this list mean very different
things when they use the term 'value', and every one of them thinks
that Python agrees with them.  Cutting this knot may require a new
word.

Laura