convert a named tuple to a dictionary

[buran]

By the way, this SO answer is interesting and adds to the whole discussion as well as provide reasoning for the leading underscore
https://stackoverflow.com/a/26180604/4046632

This is a documented method of namedtuples, i.e. unlike the usual convention in python the leading underscore on the method name isn't there to discourage use. Along with the other methods added to namedtuples, _make, _replace, _source, _fields, it has the underscore only to try and prevent conflicts with possible field names.