[Python-Dev] Defining properties - a use case for class decorators?

[Jim Jewett]

(In http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2005-October/057409.html,)
Nick Coghlan suggested allowing attribute references as binding targets.

>    x = property("Property x (must be less than 5)")

>    def x.get(instance):  ...

Josiah shivered and said it was hard to tell what was even intended, and
(in http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2005-October/057437.html)
Nick agreed that it was worse than

>    x.get = f given:
>        def f(): ...

Could someone explain to me why it is worse?

I understand not wanting to modify object x outside of its definition.

I understand that there is some trickiness about instancemethods
and bound variables.

But these objections seem equally strong for both forms, as well
as for the current "equivalent" of

    def f(): ...
    x.get = f

The first form (def x.get) at least avoids repeating (or even creating)
the temporary function name.

The justification for decorators was to solve this very problem within
a module or class.  How is this different?  Is it just that attributes
shouldn't be functions, and this might encourage the practice?

-jJ