In the docs for urllib2.BaseHandler previous to Python 2.6, the names of
the protocol_xxx() methods were spelled with 'protocol' in italics to
indicate that it is a placeholder; the actual method name is e.g.
http_opener().
http://www.python.org/doc/2.5.2/lib/base-handler-objects.html

In the Python 2.6 docs this typographic distinction has been lost
http://docs.python.org/library/urllib2.html#basehandler-objects
so it is not so clear that e.g. protocol_open() is not an actual method.

I suggest either restoring the italics or using a spelling such as
<protocol>_open() for the method names. If this is difficult then the
body of the descriptions should be rewritten to make it clear that the
'given protocol' is indicated by the name of the method.