[Python-Dev] Re: decorators and 2.4

[Jeff Bone]

> Uh, the WHOLE POINT we want this is to have side-effects.  If it 
> doesn't make the function act in a different way, it might as well 
> live in the doc string or something.

Declarative vs. imperative.  Design-time *definitional* modification of 
behavior vs. runtime.  I don't really think you want side-effects in 
the literal sense.  E.g. "classmethod" isn't a side-effect, it's a 
definitional thing.  If you really want side-effecting operations on 
functions, you've already got that given higher-order / first-class 
functions.

jb