Python handles globals badly.

[Skybuck Flying]

"Michael Torrie"  wrote in message 
news:mailman.384.1442016089.8327.python-list at python.org...

On 09/11/2015 03:50 PM, Skybuck Flying wrote:
> Something which python does not seem to do currently ?!
>
> So that's weird.
>
> I will leave it at that for now.

"
Seems to me you have a completely mistaken understanding of how
variables work in Python.  This is one of the reasons why I have said in
the past, erroneously, that Python does not have variables.  It does of
course but not in the same way as C or Pascal.  In those languages names
are source-code abstractions only, and irrelevant to the compiler and
machine code.  C and Pascal define variables as boxes that can be
written to.  Not so in Python.
"

Well you basically said it yourself:

" irrelevant to the compiler and machine code".

That's kinda nice about a high level language.

Programmer does not need to understand anything below the language.

A python programmer shouldn't need to understand a damn thing to write:

A  =  10
A = A + 1
print A

However for sake of your discussion I will continue your arguments below, 
since I get the impression you guys are clueless how to change python 
implementation ;)

"
In Python most common objects are immutable. Meaning they can never
change or be overwritten.  They are bound to names.  This binding is
what makes names look like and act like traditional variables.

The secret to understanding the global keyword is to understand how
Python namespaces work.  The statement "a=5" does not assign a 5 to the
box called "a."  Rather it binds the name "a" to the "5" object, which
is immutable and called into existence by the interpreter
implementation.  Subsequently "a=6" disconnects a from the 5 object,
casting the 5 object loose to be reclaimed in some fashion that doesn't
matter at this point.  "a" is then rebound to a new object, 6.
"

What happens for following code:

A=1234567890111111

Are you going to claim it's going to bind to all these numbers and then also 
multiple times ?

Sounds a bit shady ?! ;)

Perhaps python considers it a string ?

Python applies math to strings ?

Sounds a bit slow... therefore perhaps you're wrong...

"
When doing a look-up on a name, the interpreter first checks the local
scope's dictionary and if it does not find the name there there, goes to
the outer scope and so forth until you get to the module global
namespace.  So we don't need any special keywords to do Pascal-style
constants.  We just define them in the module and they work.  Usually we
name them in all caps so we have a bit of a convention as to where they
come from.  And yes we're talking about looking up strings in a
dictionary here.
"

So big deal, solution is easy to see, invert interpreter logic:

Everything declared is "not constant".

Everything declared as "constant" suddenly becomes constant.

And thus everything declared as not constant behaves the same way as 
"global", problem solved.

"
When binding a name to an object, the interpreter always binds a name in
the local namespace, unless the global keyword has been used previously
and then it goes right to the global namespace.  As has been said
numerous times on this thread, how else would the interpreter do this?
There simply isn't any other way that makes sense. Certainly you haven't
made the case for it, seeing as you have some fundamental
misunderstandings about variables in Python.
"

You didn't completely explain how the global namespace becomes writeable ? 
or re-bindeable ?

(It seems not necessary to explain it you implement the constant idea, as 
explained above already).

Do I have to assume that global namespace is "re-bindeable" = writeable ?

"
You keep saying things like "writing to a variable" or "declared
variables" which just don't apply to Python because that's not how
Python variables work.  It may appear this way on the surface, but the
differences are subtle yet important.  Namespaces are written to, not
variables, some objects can be mutated. Names are bound to objects, but
variables are not declared, as a name can be bound to an object of any type.
"

Well again you didn't explain how using namespaces suddenly lead to 
"rewritable" and/or "rebinding"

if A is declared as global as follows:

global A

and then code is written as follows:

A = 10
A = 20

def Test()
    global A = 30
    return

How does this make A "rewriteable" ? Or "rebindable" to 30 ?

"
Namespaces are powerful constructs that give Python much of its dynamic
nature and expressivity. Learn to use them!
"

I didn't learn anything from this posting, sorry ! ;)

Bye,
  Skybuck.