Multiple constructors

[Caleb Hattingh]

Hi Philip

> C++ to Python is a steep 'unlearning' curve...

That's worthy of QOTW.  I decided not to reply to this thread earlier, but  
you just convinced me otherwise :)

I work in Delphi a lot, which is in a lot of respects very similar to C.   
I have come to the conclusion that function overloading was introduced to  
allow the same calling syntax and even functionality to be applied to  
different *types*.  This is a consequence of the fact that in Delphi and  
C, for example, typing is static.

In a dynamic language like python, however, overloading isn't necessary.   
Not only can the *type* of a function argument be determined at run-time,  
the *number* of arguments can as well.

Though Alex indicated differently earlier, I intend to always use an "if"  
statment inside one constructor to initialise any class in the situation  
where the arguments may be different in number and type.  I don't have the  
years of experience that Alex has, however, so I may end up regretting it  
but right now, it seems to me to be the clearest approach in this  
situation.

thx
Caleb