python __main__ is similar to java main()

[David Nunes]

Well I've read the docs and searched in the newsgroup archives but
I'm still confused about __main__

        I  expected it to startup the program, like main in java but
when I feed it to the interpreter he just "eats" the file loads wathever
is in the file but doesn't run main.

        So am I suposed to explicitly call it like in the file below or is
there a better (pythonic) way to do it??

        TIA

        David Nunes


import string
import PedLan
import GLOBAL


class Lancamento:
    ReqID = 0

    #PDNConsulta

    def ___init__(self):
        #inicializacao do PDNConsulta
        pass

    def trataPedido(self):#nao faz verificacao de input
        linha = raw_input('>')
        parse = string.splitfields(linha, GLOBAL.INPUTSEP)
        disc = parse[0]
        nomes = []
        notas = []
        for indice in range(1,len(parse), 2):
            nomes.append(parse[indice])
        for indice in range(2,len(parse), 2):
            notas.append(parse[indice])
        pedido = PedLan.PedLan(ReqID, nomes, notas)
        #<PDNConsulta.Lancamento(pedido)

    def __main__(self):
        print('running')
        interface = Lancamento()
        while(1):
            interface.trataPedido()

Lancamento().__main__() #to run main ????