[$] Python attributes, __slots__, and API design

A discussion on the python-ideas mailing list touched on a number ofinteresting topics, from the problems with misspelled attribute namesthrough the design of security-sensitive interfaces and to the use of the__slots__ attribute of objects. The latter may not be all thatwell-known (or well-documented), but could potentially fix the problem athand, though not in a backward-compatible way. The conversation revolvesaround the ssl modulein the standard library, which has been targeted forupgrades, more than once, over the years-with luck, the maintainers may find time for some upgrades relatively soon.