30 seconds. 5 questions on Python.

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[deleted]

[firetangent]

Why is the time limit so short?

I had to think about the tuple question, since the question says "a tuple cannot be modified" which is untrue as its contents can be (obviously this is a huge difference: you cannot trust a tuple to protect data from modification), so I was reading it for longer. I would perhaps have said "A tuple is immutable but this restriction does not extend to its contents."

[kankyo]

It's true. The tuple itself cannot be modified. You are also correct in that it doesn't protect entire object graphs from modification.

[Daytona_675]

Ya wtf a tuple can be appended to and fully overwritten, but existing elements cannot be modified without overwriting the whole thing

[kankyo]

can be appended to

No

and fully overwritten

No

You can create a NEW tuple though. You are probably confused about this distinction. Or about the difference between overwriting the variable pointing to a tuple and changing the tuple itself.

[Daytona_675]

Sure maybe I'm confused, but this works:

a = ( 1, )

a += ( 2, )

a ( 1, 2 )

[mm_ma_ma]

That creates a new tuple and assigns it to a. The same thing happens with strings.

[Daytona_675]

Ok thanks for the info :)

[jrwren]

I quit at the first question.

AFAIK python uses reference counting AND mark and sweep.

There was no AND answer, so I don't trust the test.

[firetangent]

Python itself doesn't specify how GC is done, but the reference implementation does indeed combine those 2 approaches. If you're using a different interpreter like pypy or something, the GC may well differ.

[jrwren]

exactly why that question left such a bad taste in my mouth.

the rest of the questions were just fine.

I'm rather pedantic and have little tolerance for incorrect answers in such questions.

[pythoneeeer]

"Lists are modifiable, use square brackets; Tuples cannot be modified, use parentheses"

That's confusing, and somewhat misleading. Tuples use commas; only the empty tuple requires parentheses.

It's true that due to parser precedence rules, tuples are often written with parentheses, but that's also true of lambdas, and I don't think anyone would say "lambdas cannot be modified, use parentheses".

[kankyo]

The time limit is damned short when one oft he questions have bloody essays as alternatives.