I'm wrong or Will we fix the ducks limp?

[Marko Rauhamaa]

Antoon Pardon <antoon.pardon at rece.vub.ac.be>:

> Your challenge, shows that you don't fully understand what reference
> variables are. The behaviour you see in Pascal, doesn't depend (alone)
> on the parameter being a reference parameter. It also depends on the
> fact that the assignment in pascal mutates the variable that is
> assigned to. Variables are references if they are aliases, so that if
> you mutate through one alias, the mutation is visible through other
> aliases. So your challenge comes down to expecting me to mutate
> something by means that in python don't allow mutation.

I think bringing Pascal in this discussion is only confusing matters.

Let me repeat the abstract Python data model I gave a couple of days
back:

   - there are labeled *pegs* ("variables")

   - there are *puppies* ("objects")

   - each peg has one *leash* hanging from it

   - each leash is tied to a puppy

   - each puppy can have zero one or more leashes tied to it

   - some puppies can hold leashes in their *mouths*

   - some puppies can take hold of new leashes and let go of leashes

I'm not joking. Everybody is arguing about preconceived notions tied to
terminology. The peg-leash-puppy model is accurate and extensive.

We can now give semantics to Python's execution model. For example,

   - every rvalue expression evaluates to a leash

   - the lvalue expression identifies a peg or a mouth

   - the assignment statement hangs a leash on a peg or in a mouth


Marko