On Mon, 30 Sep 2013 17:28:30 -0400, Ned Batchelder wrote: > On 9/30/13 3:34 PM, Dave Angel wrote: >> Python doesn't actually have variables, but the things it documents as >> variables are local names within a method. Those are not visible >> outside of the method, regardless of whether you're in a class or a >> subclass. > > Why does this meme persist!? Of course Python has variables, they just > don't work like C variables do. If you'd like to know the details: > http://nedbatchelder.com/text/names.html
I'm not convinced that "Python variables are different from C variables" is a better way to get through to people than "Python doesn't have variables, it has name bindings". Of course, *technically* the first statement is accurate, and the second relies on a definition of variable that is not universal. The question is which is more effective at getting the differences between the two programming models through to the reader. I can't speak for others, but in my own experience, I never *quite* understood the semantic differences between Python name bindings and Pascal variables until I came across the meme "Python has no variables". -- Steven -- https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
