[Python-Dev] Issue10403 - using 'attributes' instead of members in documentation

[Steven D'Aprano]

R. David Murray wrote:

> So, the correct generic term for something that can be accessed
> via attribute notation is attribute.  The more specific term for an
> attribute that is a method is method.  We don't currently have a more
> specific collective term for attributes that aren't methods.  *That*
> is the problem.

"Attribute" also encompasses both instance attributes and class 
attributes. Rather than having two different words, we simply qualify 
the word when we need to distinguish them.

Likewise, in the cases where it is important to distinguish methods from 
other attributes, we should qualify the word: data attribute vs method 
attribute.

(I'm not suggesting that we should routinely refer to "method attribute" 
rather than simply method, but only when we wish to emphasize that 
methods are a kind of attribute and not a completely different kind of 
thing.)



-- 
Steven