[Python-Dev] PEP 8 updates/clarifications

[Jim Fulton]

skip at pobox.com wrote:
>     Jim> This seems outdated.  My impression, in part from time spent
>     Jim> working with the Python Labs guys, is that it is fine to have
>     Jim> public data sttributes even for non-"record" types.  In fact, I
>     Jim> would argue that any time you would be tempted to provide
>     Jim> "getFoo()" and "setFoo(v)" for some "private attribute _foo", it
>     Jim> would be better to make it public.  I certainly find "blah.foo" and
>     Jim> "blah.foo = v" to be much better than "blah.getFoo()" and
>     Jim> blah.setFoo(v)".
> 
> Presuming the foo attribute provides some element of the API that you are
> willing to support forever.  If it is just an implementation detail you
> should use accessor methods or properties.

If foo is an implementation detail, then it shoudln't be exposed at all, even
with accessors.  Using attribute syntax makes no more of a commitment than
accessor functions.  The decision about wither to implement
foo as a key in the instance dictionary *is* an implementation detail that
can be hidden by a property.  If the initial decision, following the rule
of "do the simplest thing that works", is to use an instance dictionary item,
then I wouldn't bother with a property until you change your mind.

Jim

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