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

[R. David Murray]

On Tue, 28 Jun 2011 11:54:39 +0100, Michael Foord <fuzzyman at voidspace.org.uk> wrote:
> On 28/06/2011 11:44, Fred Drake wrote:
> > But "callable attributes" aren't the same thing as methods; most are methods,
> > but not all.  Sometimes, they're data used by the object.  The fact that
> > data attributes can be callable is irrelevant.
> 
> Added to which there are other descriptors, notably property, that are 
> not directly callable but are not provided as normal "data attributes" 
> (although the access syntax is the same). Properties are much closer to 
> methods as they are implemented on the class and fetched via the 
> descriptor protocol. Instead of "data attributes" I prefer the term 
> "instance attributes" although that doesn't include "class attributes" 
> (or more precisely it doesn't cover "class attributes that aren't 
> descriptors").

Also, instances can have methods as instance attributes.

Trying to use 'instance attributes' for non-method attributes is a bad
idea, I think.

Given that there is no one thing that covers all non-method
attributes, I suspect 'non-method attributes' is as good as
we're going to manage.

--
R. David Murray           http://www.bitdance.com