Path: csiph.com!usenet.pasdenom.info!aioe.org!news.stack.nl!newsfeed.xs4all.nl!newsfeed6.news.xs4all.nl!xs4all!post.news.xs4all.nl!not-for-mail
Return-Path: <python.list@tim.thechases.com>
X-Original-To: python-list@python.org
Delivered-To: python-list@mail.python.org
X-Spam-Status: OK 0.001
X-Spam-Evidence: '*H*': 1.00; '*S*': 0.00; 'python,': 0.02; 'one?': 0.05; 'correct.': 0.07; '"if': 0.09; 'underscore': 0.09; '-tkc': 0.16; 'from:addr:python.list': 0.16; 'from:addr:tim.thechases.com': 0.16; 'from:name:tim chase': 0.16; 'message-id:@tim.thechases.com': 0.16; 'received:70.251': 0.16; 'received:dsl.rcsntx.swbell.net': 0.16; 'received:rcsntx.swbell.net': 0.16; 'received:swbell.net': 0.16; 'wrote:': 0.17; '>>>': 0.18; 'header:In-Reply-To:1': 0.25; 'header :User-Agent:1': 0.26; 'convention': 0.27; "doesn't": 0.28; 'point': 0.31; 'to:addr:python-list': 0.33; 'version': 0.34; 'changed': 0.34; 'method': 0.36; 'why': 0.37; 'subject:: ': 0.38; 'things': 0.38; 'to:addr:python.org': 0.39; 'leading': 0.61; 'received:50.22': 0.84
Date: Tue, 09 Oct 2012 09:21:36 -0500
From: Tim Chase <python.list@tim.thechases.com>
User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux x86_64; en-US; rv:1.9.2.24) Gecko/20111120 Icedove/3.1.16
MIME-Version: 1.0
To: python-list@python.org
Subject: Re: Private methods
References: <1krpbz9.1wge3j11123k2vN%real-not-anti-spam-address@apple-juice.co.uk>	<mailman.1994.1349790529.27098.python-list@python.org> <1krpdak.u0qy9e1a4knspN%real-not-anti-spam-address@apple-juice.co.uk>
In-Reply-To: <1krpdak.u0qy9e1a4knspN%real-not-anti-spam-address@apple-juice.co.uk>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
X-AntiAbuse: This header was added to track abuse, please include it with any abuse report
X-AntiAbuse: Primary Hostname - boston.accountservergroup.com
X-AntiAbuse: Original Domain - python.org
X-AntiAbuse: Originator/Caller UID/GID - [47 12] / [47 12]
X-AntiAbuse: Sender Address Domain - tim.thechases.com
X-Source: 
X-Source-Args: 
X-Source-Dir: 
X-BeenThere: python-list@python.org
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.15
Precedence: list
List-Id: General discussion list for the Python programming language <python-list.python.org>
List-Unsubscribe: <http://mail.python.org/mailman/options/python-list>, <mailto:python-list-request@python.org?subject=unsubscribe>
List-Archive: <http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-list/>
List-Post: <mailto:python-list@python.org>
List-Help: <mailto:python-list-request@python.org?subject=help>
List-Subscribe: <http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list>, <mailto:python-list-request@python.org?subject=subscribe>
Newsgroups: comp.lang.python
Message-ID: <mailman.1998.1349792433.27098.python-list@python.org>
Lines: 17
NNTP-Posting-Host: 2001:888:2000:d::a6
X-Trace: 1349792433 news.xs4all.nl 6880 [2001:888:2000:d::a6]:45958
X-Complaints-To: abuse@xs4all.nl
Xref: csiph.com comp.lang.python:31027

On 10/09/12 08:59, D.M. Procida wrote:
>> On 09/10/2012 14:24, D.M. Procida wrote:
>>> What exactly is the point of a private method? Why or when would I want
>>> to use one?
> 
> In Python, using an underscore is simply a convention to note that a
> method is private - it doesn't actually hide it from other things -
> correct?

Correct.  You can read the leading underscore as "if you use this,
don't come crying if it breaks on you in a future version because we
changed an internal implementation. We told you so."

-tkc