Dale Roberts wrote:
Okay, you can have it that way, but every time you explain to someone that Python passes "By Value", you will have to add the additional baggage that, oh, by the way, there is a completely different meaning for "value" in Python than what you are used to.
For what it's worth, I happen to agree that telling someone that Python passes parameters "by value" without being sure they understand exactly what "by value" means, is not a good idea -- not because the term isn't well-defined, but because of the widespread confusion out there about it. But equally I wouldn't tell someone that it's *not* by value, because if they do happen to correctly understand what it means, that will confuse them just as much. So my recommendation is just to tell them that it works by assigning the result of evaluating the actual parameter to the formal parameter. If they understand how assignment works in Python, that tells them all they need to know. If they don't understand how assignment works, then they have a more fundamental knowledge gap that needs to be corrected first. -- Greg
Then the questions and puzzled looks will start... And when they tell their friend that Joe The Programmer said it's Pass By Value, your additional context may not be present any longer, and the friend will be very confused. In my opinion, best just to head it off and call it something different so as not to confuse. dale
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