object.enable() anti-pattern

[Steven D'Aprano]

On Wed, 08 May 2013 11:13:33 +0100, Robert Kern wrote:

> On 2013-05-08 09:52, Steven D'Aprano wrote:
>> I'm looking for some help in finding a term, it's not Python-specific
>> but does apply to some Python code.
>>
>> This is an anti-pattern to avoid. The idea is that creating a resource
>> ought to be the same as "turning it on", or enabling it, or similar.
> 
> I don't think the anti-pattern has a name, but it's opposite pattern is
> named:
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resource_Acquisition_Is_Initialization

That sounds like it should be related, but it actually isn't since RAII 
actually has little to do with *acquiring* the resource and everything to 
do with *releasing* it. See, for example:

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2321511/what-is-meant-by-resource-
acquisition-is-initialization-raii

where it is pointed out that the resource may be acquired outside of the 
object constructor and passed in as an argument. RAII is actually about 
deterministic destruction of objects and the release of their resources.

But thanks for the attempt :-)


-- 
Steven