Grumpy-pants spoil-sport

[Marko Rauhamaa]

Ben Finney <ben+python at benfinney.id.au>:

> No, we cannot just agree that we all know how it works. The well is
> poisoned for a long time, and we must diligently undo the conceptual
> damage for generations to come; and I know of no better way than
> continuing to publicly discuss how both misapprehensions are wrong.

For starters, the Python language spec could at least define what it
means to assign to a dict or a list. Is it "name binding?" If not, what
is it? In fact, "name binding" can be defined through dict attribute
assignment.

What is needed is a term for "something that can be bound to an object."
C calls this thing an "lvalue." Scheme calls it a "location." I think a
"slot" would do well, but any jointly agreed-upon term would be fine.


Marko