[Tutor] Random number selection

[Steven D'Aprano]

Dave Angel wrote:

> Variables with integer values are not 'called."  They also don't change 
> values unless you change it.  So if you've got a loop, and you want them 
> to have different values each time, then give them different values each 
> time, by calling a function that does return a different value.

In fairness, some programming communities call instance attributes "variables" 
(which annoys me no end, but it is common), and computed attributes 
("variables") can get a different value each time you look them up. So if you 
can have this:

instance = MyClass()
instance.x  # x is a computed "instance variable" (blah, I hate that term)
=> gives 23
instance.x
=> gives 42


then in principle it isn't a stupid idea to have this too:

x = MyVariable()
x
=> gives 23
x
=> gives 42


I don't know any language that operates like that, and it is probably a bad 
idea in practice, but the principle isn't entirely crazy.

It's also an *incredibly* common thought -- I have seen so many people assume 
that after doing this once:

x = random(1, 100)

x will now have a different random number each time you look at it. Which kind 
of makes sense, if you think of x as a variable that varies on its own instead 
of something which can be varied.


-- 
Steven