[Python-Dev] Call for defense of @decorators

[Bob Ippolito]

On Aug 5, 2004, at 6:33 PM, Martin v. Löwis wrote:

> Edward K. Ream wrote:
>> Thank you, Martin.  I think Python will be the better for holding 
>> itself to
>> higher standards.
>
> I was somewhat too quick critizing the documentation, though:
>
> http://www.python.org/dev/doc/devel/ref/function.html
>
> does explain syntax and semantics, and there are testcases as well. So 
> it's just the PEP that needs updating (a section in whatsnew also 
> needs
> to be drafted). Then, of course, the text saying that "@" is not used
> needs to go.
>
> I wonder whether replacing "@" with "!" or "%" would do any good...
> In fact, any binary operator would work - Objective-C does use "+"
> and "-" at the beginning of a line...

Except + and - would be valid Python syntax already ;)  For reference, 
in Objective-C, + means class method and - means instance method.  This 
is not decoration because they are in separate namespaces; +class 
methods are basically instance methods on an implicit metaclass.  In 
Objective-C, + and - are roughly equivalent to Python's "def" keyword.

Aesthetically I much prefer @ over ! or %.  !looks !bad !next !to !text 
!because !it !doesn't !stand !out and %makes %me %think %of %comments 
%in %another %language.

-bob