Comment by chimeracoder

> Do you actually do that?

No, nobody does this. GP is engaging in an exercise in pedantry, under the guise that it serves some pedagogical purpose. Personally, I don't think it's particularly useful to teach people about how things could theoretically be done, when it's much easier to show then how things actually are, but I'm sure there is some accountant nerd out there who is extremely meticulously tracking the total value of the gumballs on the secretary's desk as they are consumed.