scope of generators, class variables, resulting in global na

[dontspamleo]

I think a big part of the problem is that the scoping rules in Python
are inconsistent because classes are a different kind of object. An
example helps:

This works:

x = 1
def f(y): return y + x

This works:

def f():
  x = 1
  def g(y): return x + y
  return g(2)


But this doesn't work...
class C:
  x = 1
  def f(self,y): return x + y

...although what was probably meant was this, which does work...
class C:
  x = 1
  def f(self,y): return self.x + y

...and really means this...
class C:
  x = 1
  def f(self,y): return T.x + y

...which create other quirkiness when x is mutable as illustrated
nicely here:

http://bioscreencastwiki.com/Python_Variable_scope_gymnastics

One reasonable answer to this quirkiness is RTFM. Classes are well
documented as is everything else in python. Mostly late-binding
semantics are also well documented.

I argue that it is more consistent to have the scope for classes be
consistent with the scope of everything else, which makes the early/
late binding point mute.

I know this is a major change, that it would break existing code, etc.
It would have been better to talk about these things before py3k.
Still:

1. Has this been discussed before?

1. What would this suggestion break?

2. What are the advantages of making the scope of class variables
different? Maybe is it just a historical trait?

Cheers,
Leo.