should "self" be changed?

[Ned Batchelder]

On Tuesday, May 26, 2015 at 3:47:20 PM UTC-4, Marko Rauhamaa wrote:
> zipher <dreamingforward at gmail.com>:
> 
> > Would it be prudent to rid the long-standing "argument" (pun
> > unintended) about self and the ulterior spellings of it, by changing
> > it into a symbol rather than a name?
> >
> > Something like:
> >
> > class MyClass(object):
> >
> >     def __init__(@):
> >         @.dummy = None
> >
> > OR, even better, getting *rid of it* in the parameter list, so it
> > stops confusing people about how many parameters a method needs, and
> > transform it into a true *operator*.
> 
> Python's practice works. However, a small problem is presented by nested
> classes:
> 
>     class Connection:
>         def __init__(self):
>             class Idle:
>                 def signal_start(self):
>                     # how to refer to the outer self
>                     :
>             :
> 
> Solutions include:
> 
> ...
>
>     class Connection:
>         def __init__(self):
>             conn = self
>             class Idle:
>                 def signal_start(self):
>                     conn.set_state(Ready)
>             :
> 
> 
> I have used the latter method recently.

I would find it much clearer to not use a nested class
at all, and instead to pass the object into the constructor:

    class Idle:
        def __init__(self, conn):
            self.conn = conn
        def signal_start(self):
            self.conn.set_state(Ready)

    class Connection:
        def __init__(self):
            something(Idle(self))

--Ned.