On Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:05:03 +0100, Chris Withers wrote: [snip] > - what is so wrong with wanting to set a variable in the local namespace > based on a name stored in a variable?
I'm not sure it's "so wrong" that one should never, ever do it, but it *does* blur the boundary between the program and the data on which the program operates. Also, variable names are customarily for the convenience of programmers, and have often (e.g., compiled languages) disappeared by run-time; so run-time references to variable names seem to puncture the "what's for programmers" / "what's for the hardware" distinction. It strikes me much as the question, "What's so wrong with having a soda straw going from the driver's seat to the gas tank?" Curious question. Go ahead! Odd that it should seem desirable, though. I hope the smart guys on this group can do a more precise job of expressing this. -- To email me, substitute nowhere->spamcop, invalid->net. -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
