[Python-Dev] Questions about '@' in pep 318

[Moore, Paul]

From: Edward K. Ream

> The "mandate" for this post is the following from GvR:
>
>> If good arguments against @ are presented it may be removed in
>> 2.4b1 (that was always the plan but apparently not publicized).
>
> So I would like seriously to consider whether removing '@' might
> be a good idea.
>
> Note: my major concern with pep 318 has always been with syntax.
> I am not interested or qualified to discuss whether annotation
> in general is a good idea...

One point here. To get the "@" syntax removed, you will (should)
need to *either* convince everyone who dislikes the "@" syntax to
back a single alternative syntax (experience shows that this is
unlikely in the extreme) *or* argue that the whole decorator feature
be removed. You can't do the latter without discussing semantics and
"whether annotation in general is a good idea".

Please do not mislead people into thinking that a discussion of syntax
alone is of any value, *unless* there is a willingness on the part
of those against the "@" syntax to compromise on a single alternative.

Semantics is a different matter - I've not heard any strong arguments
against the semantics of decorators.

And process is a different matter again - but that's for a different
posting (which I may well not make...)

Paul.


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