Why does python not have a mechanism for data hiding?

[Carl Banks]

On Jun 2, 6:39 pm, "Russ P." <Russ.Paie... at gmail.com> wrote:
> On Jun 2, 3:04 pm, Carl Banks <pavlovevide... at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> > On Jun 2, 4:50 pm, "Russ P." <Russ.Paie... at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > > On Jun 2, 6:41 am, Carl Banks <pavlovevide... at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > > > You are not realizing that only useful(**) thing about data hiding is
> > > > that some code has access to the data, other code does not.  If you
> > > > "hide" data equally from everyone it's just a useless spelling change.
>
> > > I think you're missing the point.
>
> > Well that's nice: you're accusing me of missing the point after having
> > quoted something I wrote as if it represented by own views, even
> > though I footnoted it and said I was only doing it for the sake of
> > argument.  Perhaps, outside this discussion, I am totally getting "the
> > point".
>
> > I can't tell, though, because I read your post twice and I have no
> > idea what you consider "the point" to be.
> > Best as I can tell you are claiming that data hiding isn't important,
> > but then you go on to imply Python is blemished because it doesn't
> > hide data.  It really makes no sense: perhaps you can help us out by
> > giving us an example of something that illustrates what you're saying?
>
> I think I made my point abundantly clear. I said that rigorously
> denied access to encapsulated data is not important, but a clear
> specification of what is intended for the client and what is intended
> for internal use *is* important. And an ugly naming convention for
> variable and function names is not the best way to do it.

Well let me tell you what's confusing me here: I can't figure out, if
this is your standpoint, what issue you could have had with what I
said.  What specifically did you disagree with?  What did I say that
was wrong?  It seems like we are more in agreement than not.


> I suggest you ask yourself why C++, Java, Ada, and probably most other
> "object-oriented" languages, have encapsulation or "data hiding." And
> no, I am not claiming that *every* application written in Python needs
> it, but certainly *some* could benefit from it.

I know what it's there for, chief.  That's exactly what I was saying
to Antoon, and you took issue with it and claimed I was missing the
point.  What gives?


Carl Banks