[Python-Dev] Deprecate __ private (was Re: PEP 8 updates/clarifications) (original) (raw)

Adam Olsen rhamph at gmail.com
Tue Dec 13 14:14:19 CET 2005

On 12/12/05, Guido van Rossum <guido at python.org> wrote:

Unfortunately that fails one of the other requirements, which (at the time of implementation) was minimal impact on the rest of the _interpreter. Since private isn't limited to self, and attribute lookup doesn't always result in a dict lookup, this would require a complete overhaul of the getattr API, both at the C and at the Python level.

I hate to flog a dead horse but I feel it's important to clarify my intentions here. I don't see why it couldn't require a dict. Immutable builtins will fail either way, and so will classes using slots (unless they hardcode the required private name). The only problematic use-case I can think of is a proxy class, but is that enough to dictate the entire design of the feature?

But I guess you already said that when you said """Obviously it doesn't handle backwards compatibility, so it's more of a "if I could do it again.." suggestion."""

I was referring to code which already hardcodes the format of the current approach, i.e.: class Foo(object): def init(self): self.__private = 42 f = Foo() print f._Foo__private

-- Adam Olsen, aka Rhamphoryncus

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