Re: Question about math.pi is mutable

From	Michael Torrie <torriem@gmail.com>
Newsgroups	comp.lang.python
Subject	Re: Question about math.pi is mutable
Date	2015-11-08 08:59 -0700
Message-ID	<mailman.135.1446998410.16136.python-list@python.org> (permalink)
References	(12 earlier) <n1l3kd$5ma$1@dont-email.me> <563eba85$0$1611$c3e8da3$5496439d@news.astraweb.com> <n1n8mc$33l$1@dont-email.me> <87ziyowy83.fsf@elektro.pacujo.net> <n1nb0f$atn$1@dont-email.me>

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On 11/08/2015 04:19 AM, BartC wrote:

>> That elegant dynamism comes at a cost: method lookup is not a constant
>> memory offset. Rather, it is a dictionary lookup.
> 
> I've never understood why this seems to be necessary in Python. Why do 
> names have to be looked up? (I'm assuming this is searching by name in 
> some sort of table.)
> 
> When a module is compiled, while the compiler can't see the definitions 
> inside the imported modules, it /will/ know all the names that appear in 
> this module, so it can organise them into fixed tables. Then the names 
> can be referred to by index. (I think LOAD_FAST does this.)
> 
> Or is eval() the culprit here by making most optimisations impossible?

Perhaps I'm misunderstanding what you're saying, here, but the reason a
lookup has to be performed is because python variables are not like C
variables. They aren't boxes per se.  They are names bound to objects.
so doing something like

a += 1

Actually assigns the name "a" to an entirely new object than the one it
had before, which, from the interpreters point of view, is in an
entirely different memory location.

Whereas in C, a variable is a box that's always at the same location, so
the name is simply not important, and at runtime variables have no
names.  Python is not like this.  names are important at runtime.  There
may be certain circumstances where the Python compiler could optimize
certain types of variable access (say if the variable was bound to
integers only) into C-style variables under the hood. But I don't think
the benefit would be that great.

Thread

Question about math.pi is mutable "wangq@travelsky.com" <wangq@travelsky.com> - 2015-11-06 10:33 +0800
  Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2015-11-06 12:30 +0000
    Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Lorenzo Sutton <lorenzofsutton@gmail.com> - 2015-11-06 17:12 +0100
      Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2015-11-06 19:30 +0000
        Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2015-11-07 06:40 +1100
          Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Christian Gollwitzer <auriocus@gmx.de> - 2015-11-06 20:59 +0100
          Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn <PointedEars@web.de> - 2015-11-06 23:19 +0100
            Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn <PointedEars@web.de> - 2015-11-07 00:48 +0100
            Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Steven D'Aprano <steve@pearwood.info> - 2015-11-07 13:00 +1100
        Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Ben Finney <ben+python@benfinney.id.au> - 2015-11-07 14:43 +1100
          Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2015-11-07 11:23 +0000
            Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Ben Finney <ben+python@benfinney.id.au> - 2015-11-07 22:35 +1100
              Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2015-11-07 11:57 +0000
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Ben Finney <ben+python@benfinney.id.au> - 2015-11-07 23:15 +1100
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2015-11-07 13:00 +0000
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Laura Creighton <lac@openend.se> - 2015-11-07 15:09 +0100
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Marko Rauhamaa <marko@pacujo.net> - 2015-11-07 16:23 +0200
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Marko Rauhamaa <marko@pacujo.net> - 2015-11-07 16:28 +0200
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2015-11-07 15:01 +0000
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Marko Rauhamaa <marko@pacujo.net> - 2015-11-07 19:46 +0200
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Steven D'Aprano <steve@pearwood.info> - 2015-11-08 14:07 +1100
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Random832 <random832@fastmail.com> - 2015-11-08 01:29 -0500
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Steven D'Aprano <steve@pearwood.info> - 2015-11-08 13:59 +1100
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2015-11-08 10:40 +0000
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Marko Rauhamaa <marko@pacujo.net> - 2015-11-08 13:02 +0200
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2015-11-08 11:19 +0000
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Marko Rauhamaa <marko@pacujo.net> - 2015-11-08 13:50 +0200
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2015-11-08 12:39 +0000
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Marko Rauhamaa <marko@pacujo.net> - 2015-11-08 14:43 +0200
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2015-11-08 13:42 +0000
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Marko Rauhamaa <marko@pacujo.net> - 2015-11-08 16:33 +0200
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2015-11-09 02:11 +1100
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Steven D'Aprano <steve@pearwood.info> - 2015-11-09 11:58 +1100
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2015-11-08 23:28 +1100
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Steven D'Aprano <steve@pearwood.info> - 2015-11-09 11:35 +1100
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Michael Torrie <torriem@gmail.com> - 2015-11-08 08:59 -0700
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2015-11-08 17:54 +0000
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2015-11-09 05:01 +1100
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2015-11-08 18:58 +0000
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Ian Kelly <ian.g.kelly@gmail.com> - 2015-11-08 12:51 -0700
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Dennis Lee Bieber <wlfraed@ix.netcom.com> - 2015-11-08 18:13 -0500
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2015-11-08 23:54 +0000
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Ben Finney <ben+python@benfinney.id.au> - 2015-11-09 11:00 +1100
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2015-11-09 00:11 +0000
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Dennis Lee Bieber <wlfraed@ix.netcom.com> - 2015-11-09 08:18 -0500
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2015-11-09 11:04 +1100
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Ben Finney <ben+python@benfinney.id.au> - 2015-11-09 11:26 +1100
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Gregory Ewing <greg.ewing@canterbury.ac.nz> - 2015-11-09 21:29 +1300
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2015-11-09 11:36 +1100
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Ben Finney <ben+python@benfinney.id.au> - 2015-11-09 11:50 +1100
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2015-11-09 11:56 +1100
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Ben Finney <ben+python@benfinney.id.au> - 2015-11-09 12:04 +1100
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Steven D'Aprano <steve@pearwood.info> - 2015-11-09 22:22 +1100
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Random832 <random832@fastmail.com> - 2015-11-09 10:32 -0500
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Ben Finney <ben+python@benfinney.id.au> - 2015-11-10 06:45 +1100
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Steven D'Aprano <steve@pearwood.info> - 2015-11-10 13:37 +1100
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Ben Finney <ben+python@benfinney.id.au> - 2015-11-10 17:10 +1100
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Steven D'Aprano <steve@pearwood.info> - 2015-11-10 22:34 +1100
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2015-11-10 13:26 +0000
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2015-11-11 18:38 +1100
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Marko Rauhamaa <marko@pacujo.net> - 2015-11-11 10:30 +0200
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Steven D'Aprano <steve@pearwood.info> - 2015-11-11 22:20 +1100
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Terry Reedy <tjreedy@udel.edu> - 2015-11-10 03:30 -0500
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Laura Creighton <lac@openend.se> - 2015-11-10 11:33 +0100
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Ben Finney <ben+python@benfinney.id.au> - 2015-11-10 23:14 +1100
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Steven D'Aprano <steve@pearwood.info> - 2015-11-11 12:10 +1100
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Laura Creighton <lac@openend.se> - 2015-11-09 21:07 +0100
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Ben Finney <ben+python@benfinney.id.au> - 2015-11-10 10:21 +1100
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2015-11-09 16:54 +0000
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Ben Finney <ben+python@benfinney.id.au> - 2015-11-10 06:52 +1100
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Ben Finney <ben+python@benfinney.id.au> - 2015-11-09 08:00 +1100
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2015-11-08 22:35 +0000
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Ben Finney <ben+python@benfinney.id.au> - 2015-11-09 09:54 +1100
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Steven D'Aprano <steve@pearwood.info> - 2015-11-09 13:23 +1100
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2015-11-09 12:22 +0000
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2015-11-09 23:36 +1100
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Steven D'Aprano <steve@pearwood.info> - 2015-11-08 22:30 +1100
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2015-11-08 12:24 +0000
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Grant Edwards <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2015-11-07 16:16 +0000
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Marko Rauhamaa <marko@pacujo.net> - 2015-11-07 20:00 +0200
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Grant Edwards <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2015-11-08 03:31 +0000
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Marko Rauhamaa <marko@pacujo.net> - 2015-11-08 09:45 +0200
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Christian Gollwitzer <auriocus@gmx.de> - 2015-11-08 09:00 +0100
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Paul Rubin <no.email@nospam.invalid> - 2015-11-08 00:08 -0800
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Marko Rauhamaa <marko@pacujo.net> - 2015-11-08 11:49 +0200
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Grant Edwards <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2015-11-09 14:49 +0000
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2015-11-07 15:19 +0000
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Steven D'Aprano <steve@pearwood.info> - 2015-11-08 14:50 +1100
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Marko Rauhamaa <marko@pacujo.net> - 2015-11-08 11:44 +0200
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Steven D'Aprano <steve@pearwood.info> - 2015-11-08 22:11 +1100
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Marko Rauhamaa <marko@pacujo.net> - 2015-11-08 13:25 +0200
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2015-11-08 11:06 +0000
        Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Antoon Pardon <antoon.pardon@rece.vub.ac.be> - 2015-11-09 15:49 +0100
        Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Ben Finney <ben+python@benfinney.id.au> - 2015-11-10 10:29 +1100
        Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Antoon Pardon <antoon.pardon@rece.vub.ac.be> - 2015-11-10 11:03 +0100
        Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Michael Torrie <torriem@gmail.com> - 2015-11-13 20:11 -0700
        Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Antoon Pardon <antoon.pardon@rece.vub.ac.be> - 2015-11-14 16:02 +0100
    Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn <PointedEars@web.de> - 2015-11-06 23:26 +0100
      Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Terry Reedy <tjreedy@udel.edu> - 2015-11-06 20:49 -0500
      Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Steven D'Aprano <steve@pearwood.info> - 2015-11-07 13:06 +1100
      Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2015-11-07 23:02 +0000
        Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Mark Lawrence <breamoreboy@yahoo.co.uk> - 2015-11-07 23:27 +0000
        Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Ben Finney <ben+python@benfinney.id.au> - 2015-11-08 10:32 +1100
        Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2015-11-08 10:52 +1100
          Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn <PointedEars@web.de> - 2015-11-12 21:40 +0100
            Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Steven D'Aprano <steve@pearwood.info> - 2015-11-13 09:04 +1100
              Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Denis McMahon <denismfmcmahon@gmail.com> - 2015-11-13 09:19 +0000
                Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Larry Hudson <orgnut@yahoo.com> - 2015-11-13 18:30 -0800
            Re: Question about math.pi is mutable BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2015-11-12 22:19 +0000
              Re: Question about math.pi is mutable Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2015-11-13 09:52 +1100

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