On Sun, 31 Dec 2006 03:39:52 +0100, Rene Fleschenberg wrote: > johnf wrote: >> Very detailed. But I was attempting to debug some code which subclassed >> other code. I got a traceback that something like "no >> mySubClass.__source.query() did not exist". > > By (strong) convention, "__" means "not to be accessed from outside the > class, not even from subclasses". The author of the original class does > not want you to access that attribute.
What does the author of the original class know about *my* needs and requirements? It may turn out that accessing his "private" attributes is exactly what I need to solve my problem. I'm with the Python philosophy on this one: post all the "Don't Touch This" warning signs you like, but if somebody really wants to access my private attributes, to do something I never even imagined, they should be allowed to. If they break something, well, that's their fault, not mine. I'm 100% in favour of language features which protect people from *accidentally* shooting themselves in the foot, but if somebody wants to, who am I to say they mustn't? -- Steven. -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
