Some further clarifications:

- func.__dict__ starts out as None until the first attribute is
  assigned, at which time, it turns into a dictionary.

- del func.__dict__ sets it back to None

- It is legal to assign None to func.__dict__; this is equivalent to
  del func.__dict__

Slight rewording to clarify the BDFL's position on special syntax.

pep-0232.txt

@@ -55,8 +55,10 @@ Proposal
     approaches in subsequent versions of Python.
 
     A function object's __dict__ can also be set, but only to a
-    dictionary object (i.e. setting __dict__ to UserDict raises a
-    TypeError). 
+    dictionary object or None (e.g. setting __dict__ to UserDict
+    raises a TypeError).  Deleting a function's __dict__ attribute is
+    equivalent to setting it to None.  If no function attributes have
+    ever been set, the function's __dict__ will be None.
 
 
 Examples
@@ -173,8 +175,8 @@ Future Directions
            # etc.
            }
 
-      It isn't currently clear if special syntax is necessary or
-      desirable.
+      The BDFL is currently against any such special syntactic support
+      for setting arbitrary function attributes.
 
 
 Dissenting Opinion