There are a number of "advanced" features in python that could be a barrier to understanding for new users, but which are rarely seen in practice - metaclasses being the classic example.
I imagine these features are rarely seen because most people don't understand them, and those that do have the good taste not to use them gratuitously.
This feature won't be rarely used. Class and static methods and properties are created fairly often, certainly far more often than meta classes.
Sorry, what I meant was advanced uses of decorators will be rare. Certainly "staticmethod" and "classmethod" will be common. It's a personal opinion, but I find @staticmethod easier to parse visually than the current situation. -- Andrew McNamara, Senior Developer, Object Craft http://www.object-craft.com.au/