In this specification, the word “is” is used to compare two values through equality, as in “If _bool_ is *true*, then”. For the purposes of this equality comparison, all values within this specification fall into one of the following two categories.
-Values without identity are equal to other values without identity if all of their innate qualities are the same — qualities such as the magnitude of an integer or the length of a sequence. Because of this, values without identity may be manifest anywhere simply by fully describing their qualities. It is not meaningful to change the qualities of a value that does not have identity. Examples of values without identity include, but are not limited to:
In contrast, each value with identity is unique and therefore only equal to itself. Values with identity are like values without identity but with an additional unguessable, unchangeable, universally-unique quality called identity. References to existing values with identity cannot be manifest simply by describing them, as the identity itself is indescribable; instead, references to these values must be explicitly passed from one place to another. Some values with identity are mutable and therefore can have their qualities (except their identity) changed in-place, causing all holders of the value to immediately observe the new qualities. Examples of values with identity include, but are not limited to:
Values without identity are equal to other values without identity if all of their innate characteristics are the same — characteristics such as the magnitude of an integer or the length of a sequence. Because of this, values without identity may be manifest anywhere simply by fully describing their characteristics. It is not meaningful to change the characteristics of a value that does not have identity. Examples of values without identity include, but are not limited to:
In contrast, each value with identity is unique and therefore only equal to itself. Values with identity are like values without identity but with an additional unguessable, unchangeable, universally-unique characteristic called identity. References to existing values with identity cannot be manifest simply by describing them, as the identity itself is indescribable; instead, references to these values must be explicitly passed from one place to another. Some values with identity are mutable and therefore can have their characteristics (except their identity) changed in-place, causing all holders of the value to immediately observe the new characteristics. Examples of values with identity include, but are not limited to: