On Saturday, February 15, 2014 8:12:14 AM UTC+5:30, Chris Angelico wrote: > On Sat, Feb 15, 2014 at 1:34 PM, Rustom Mody wrote: > > At what level can you explain the following? > >>>> x = 1234567 * 1234567 > >>>> x > > 1524155677489L
> Well, for a start, I'd use Python 3, so there's no need to explain why > some numbers have an L after them :) Nice point! And only sharpens what I am saying -- python 3 is probably more confusing than 2 wrt object identity > > As against > >>>> x = 2*3 > >>>> 6 is x > > True > > "Interning" you will say. > > Is interning a simple matter for example at the level of questioning of the > > OP? > When it's utterly impossible for it to matter in any way, Python is > allowed to reuse objects. > I think that's simple enough to explain. There's nothing you can do to > distinguish one 6 from another, so Python's allowed to have them the > same. Simple?? >>> x=1234 >>> y=1234 >>> x is y False >>> 1234 is 1234 True >>> x=123 >>> y=123 >>> x is y True ------------- "utterly impossible to matter"... "nothing you can do to distinguish one 6 from another" All depend on doing one of these 3 for dealing with object identity 1. Circular definition 2. Delve into implementation 3. Wildly wave the hands As a teacher Ive done more than my fair share of all especially 3 but if you have a 4th option Id be interested to know! Philosophically"to be" called the copula is such a knotty problem that there is an entire movement to create a version of English without any form of "is,are,be" etc http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-Prime -- https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
