In the former, the value is already stored somewhere, and you are setting $x to refer to that location. In the latter, the $y already* refers to a location, and you are putting a value into it.

* in this case, the location is created and assigned Just In Time.

Caution: Contents may have been coded under pressure.

In reply to Re: how do $x = \12 differ from $$y = 12 ? by Roy Johnson
in thread how do $x = \12 differ from $$y = 12 ? by borisz

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