Figure 2.2. Some Built-in Types

A few built-in types are shown above, and examined below.

>>> list 
<type 'list'>
>>> list.__class__  
<type 'type'>
>>> list.__bases__  
(<type 'object'>,)
>>> tuple.__class__, tuple.__bases__ 
(<type 'type'>, (<type 'object'>,))
>>> dict.__class__, dict.__bases__ 
(<type 'type'>, (<type 'object'>,))
>>>
>>> mylist = [1,2,3] 
>>> mylist.__class__ 
<type 'list'>

	The built-in <type 'list'> object.
	Its type is <type 'type'>.
	It has one supertype, <type 'object'>.
	Ditto for <type 'tuple'> and <type 'dict'>.
	This is how you create an instance of <type 'list'>.
	How refreshing! For the first time an object that has an object other than <type 'type'> as its type.

When we create a tuple or a dictionary, they are instances of the respective type objects.

So how can we create an instance of mylist? We cannot. This is because mylist is a non-type object.

We are now in a position to better define type objects.

Looking back, we can verify that this is true for all objects we have come across.