Why does the _winreg module start with an underscore

[3c273]

Does it signify something? Just curious.
Louis

[Erik Max Francis]

3c273 wrote:

Does it signify something? Just curious.

Dear quasar,

Typically an identifier starting with an underscore signifies something
that is not intended to be exposed as part of a public API. In other
words, it's an implementation detail in whatever you're using and as
such you probably shouldn't use it or rely on it, unless you know the
internal details very well. An identifier starting with _two_
underscores is automatically mangled in a way that makes it more
difficult (but not impossible) for external clients to accidentally use
them.

--
Erik Max Francis && ma*@alcyone.com && http://www.alcyone.com/max/
San Jose, CA, USA && 37 20 N 121 53 W && AIM erikmaxfrancis
I wonder if heaven got a ghetto
-- Tupac Shakur

[Fredrik Lundh]

3c273 wrote:

Does it signify something? Just curious.

from the module documentation:

This module exposes a very low-level interface to the Windows
registry; it is expected that in the future a new winreg module
will be created offering a higher-level interface to the registry
API.

</F>

[3c273]

"Erik Max Francis" <ma*@alcyone.com> wrote in message
news:K5******************************@speakeasy.ne t...

3c273 wrote:

Does it signify something? Just curious.

Dear quasar,

Typically an identifier starting with an underscore signifies something
that is not intended to be exposed as part of a public API. In other
words, it's an implementation detail in whatever you're using and as
such you probably shouldn't use it or rely on it, unless you know the
internal details very well. An identifier starting with _two_
underscores is automatically mangled in a way that makes it more
difficult (but not impossible) for external clients to accidentally use
them.

Thanks for the explanation. (Fellow astronomer?)
Louis