[Python-Dev] PEP 318: Let's not give in to FUD

[Thomas Heller]

Michael Hudson <mwh at python.net> writes:

> Barry Warsaw <barry at python.org> writes:
>
>> If tomorrow this same code means something different, users looking at
>> the code will have to know what version of Python they're using, and
>> make sure it's the right one ("uh, how do I do that?").  If they were to
>> use decorator-before-def code in an older version of Python, the program
>> would be accepted but silently do the wrong thing.
>>
>> At least with decorator-before-colon trying to run the code in older
>> interpreters will barf loudly.
>
> I think this is a good point that hadn't occurred to me: silent
> failures suck.

Wouldn't the decorator-before-def require a 'from __future__ import
decorators' (Although I'm still on favor of the decorator-before-colon
version)?

Thomas