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Re: Python variables?

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On 9/30/13 6:37 PM, Ben Finney wrote:
> Ethan Furman <ethan@stoneleaf.us> writes:
>
>>  From [Ned Batchelder]'s blog:
>>> Names are Python's variables: they refer to values, and
>>>   those values can change (vary) over the course of your
>>>   program.
>> This is partially incorrect.  If the value referred to by the name is
>> immutable, then it cannot change; perhaps you meant to say that which
>> object the name points to can vary over time?
> I agree. Names are not Python's variables.
>
> If anything in Python is a “variable” as generally understood, it is not
> a name. It is a *binding*, from a reference (a name, or some other
> reference like a list item) to a value.
>
> It is the binding which can change over the course of the program, so
> that is the variable.
>

True, but no one calls the binding the variable.  Here is a program:

     x = 4

Every one of us is perfectly comfortable talking about the variable x.  
Don't get hung up on implementation pedantry.  The name x here refers to 
4.  Later it could refer to "four".  The value associated with the name 
x changed.  x is a variable.

--Ned.

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class implementation markotaht@gmail.com - 2013-09-30 01:43 -0700
  Re: class implementation Peter Otten <__peter__@web.de> - 2013-09-30 11:03 +0200
  Re: class implementation markotaht@gmail.com - 2013-09-30 02:10 -0700
    Re: class implementation Peter Otten <__peter__@web.de> - 2013-09-30 11:27 +0200
  Re: class implementation markotaht@gmail.com - 2013-09-30 05:41 -0700
    Re: class implementation Peter Otten <__peter__@web.de> - 2013-09-30 15:02 +0200
    Re: class implementation Joel Goldstick <joel.goldstick@gmail.com> - 2013-09-30 09:21 -0400
    Re: class implementation Piet van Oostrum <piet@vanoostrum.org> - 2013-09-30 13:32 -0400
    Re: class implementation Dave Angel <davea@davea.name> - 2013-09-30 19:34 +0000
      Re: class implementation 88888 Dihedral <dihedral88888@gmail.com> - 2013-10-01 00:01 -0700
    Re: class implementation Ned Batchelder <ned@nedbatchelder.com> - 2013-09-30 17:28 -0400
      Re: class implementation Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2013-09-30 23:45 +0000
        Re: class implementation Ethan Furman <ethan@stoneleaf.us> - 2013-09-30 17:31 -0700
    Re: class implementation random832@fastmail.us - 2013-09-30 17:49 -0400
    Python variables?  [was Re: class implementation] Ethan Furman <ethan@stoneleaf.us> - 2013-09-30 15:02 -0700
    Re: Python variables? Ben Finney <ben+python@benfinney.id.au> - 2013-10-01 08:37 +1000
    Re: Python variables?  [was Re: class implementation] Ned Batchelder <ned@nedbatchelder.com> - 2013-09-30 19:45 -0400
      Re: Python variables?  [was Re: class implementation] "Rhodri James" <rhodri@wildebst.demon.co.uk> - 2013-10-01 01:29 +0100
    Re: Python variables? Ned Batchelder <ned@nedbatchelder.com> - 2013-09-30 19:47 -0400
      Re: Python variables? Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2013-10-01 01:03 +0000
        Re: Python variables? Ned Batchelder <ned@nedbatchelder.com> - 2013-09-30 21:28 -0400
    Re: class implementation Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2013-10-01 00:19 +0000
  Re: class implementation markotaht@gmail.com - 2013-10-06 06:15 -0700
    Re: class implementation Terry Reedy <tjreedy@udel.edu> - 2013-10-06 15:52 -0400
    Re: class implementation Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2013-10-07 01:24 +0000
  Re: class implementation markotaht@gmail.com - 2013-10-08 01:20 -0700
    Re: class implementation Mark Lawrence <breamoreboy@yahoo.co.uk> - 2013-10-08 09:41 +0100
    Re: class implementation Dave Angel <davea@davea.name> - 2013-10-08 10:31 +0000
    Re: class implementation Cameron Simpson <cs@zip.com.au> - 2013-10-09 10:55 +1100
      Re: class implementation markotaht@gmail.com - 2013-10-10 11:34 -0700
        Re: class implementation Cameron Simpson <cs@zip.com.au> - 2013-10-11 09:07 +1100
        Re: class implementation Piet van Oostrum <piet@vanoostrum.org> - 2013-10-10 19:29 -0400
          Re: class implementation Ben Finney <ben+python@benfinney.id.au> - 2013-10-11 10:51 +1100
  Re: class implementation markotaht@gmail.com - 2013-10-08 07:05 -0700
    Re: class implementation "Rhodri James" <rhodri@wildebst.demon.co.uk> - 2013-10-09 00:41 +0100

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