list vs. dict

[dsavitsk]

"Max M" <maxm at mxm.dk> wrote in message news:3C7CFAF8.1080108 at mxm.dk...
> Beda Kosata wrote:
>

<snip>

> btw: if you really want to store it in a list you can get dict-like
> behaviour with list speed like this:
>
> keys = (
>      NAME, AGE, SEX
>      ) = range(3)
> def pseudoDict():
>      return [None]*len(keys)
>
> items = []
>
> person = pseudoDict()
> person[NAME] = 'Max M'
> person[AGE]  = 36
> person[SEX]  = 'Male'
> items.append(person)
>

<snip>

> regards Max M
>

is this a python idiom that people often use? cause i've not seen it before,
but it is really clever.