A question on modification of a list via a function invocation

[Rustom Mody]

On Monday, September 4, 2017 at 1:46:55 PM UTC+5:30, Gregory Ewing wrote:
> Stefan Ram wrote:
> >   JavaScript and Python do not have references as values
> 
> Yes, they do. The difference is that they don't have any
> way of *not* having references as values, so there's less
> need to use the word explicitly in that way -- most of
> the time it's just understood. 

Well then why these long threads that get nowhere 😎?

> Nevertheless, terms such
> as "object reference" and "reference to an object" do
> get used in relation to Python when clarity is needed.

Its because reference (or pointer or …) is central to python's semantics
that we need to use them to talk/explain/understand.
Its because pointers have been de-first-classed (from C say, as a starting point) that the disagreements arise:
- One bunch feel that since they've been de-first-classed they've been removed
And could/should not be mentioned
- The others feel that since the removal is ½-assed we need to talk of them anyway.
All thats gone is the '*' which has become implicit from C's explicit