update from Kevin Smith

pep-0318.txt

@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ Type: Standards Track
 Content-Type: text/plain
 Created: 05-Jun-2003
 Python-Version: 2.4
-Post-History: 09-Jun-2003, 10-Jun-2003
+Post-History: 09-Jun-2003, 10-Jun-2003, 27-Feb-2004
 
 
 Abstract
@@ -95,10 +95,50 @@ Proposal
         'def' NAME '(' PARAMETERS ')' ['as' DECORATORS] ':'
 
     where DECORATORS is a comma-separated list of expressions, 
-    or a tuple.
+    or a tuple.  Using the latter form, the last example above 
+    would look like:
 
-    Other syntaxes have been proposed in comp.lang.python.  The 
-    most common are demonstrated below.
+        def foo(self) as (synchronized(lock), classmethod):
+            perform method operation
+
+    This form make is possible for the list of decorators to
+    span multiple lines without using the line continuation operator.
+
+Alternate Syntaxes
+
+    Other syntaxes have been proposed in comp.lang.python and 
+    python-dev.  Unfortunately, no one syntax has come out as a clear
+    winner in the lengthy discussions.  The most common suggestions
+    are demonstrated below.  The proposed syntax is also included
+    for easy comparison.
+
+    Proposed Syntax
+
+        def foo(self) as synchronized(lock), classmethod:
+            perform method operation
+
+        def foo(self) as (synchronized(lock), classmethod):
+            perform method operation
+
+    Prefix Forms
+
+        def [synchronized(lock), classmethod] foo(self):
+            perform method operation
+
+        def synchronized(lock), classmethod foo(self):
+            perform method operation
+
+        # Same as above, but only identifiers are allowed
+        sync = synchronized(lock)
+        def sync, classmethod foo(self):
+            perform method operation
+
+        # Java-like
+        sync = synchronized(lock)
+        def @sync @classmethod foo(self):
+            perform method operation
+
+    Postfix Forms
 
         def foo(self) [synchronized(lock), classmethod]:
             perform method operation
@@ -109,12 +149,13 @@ Proposal
         def foo(self) {'pre': synchronized(lock), 'classmethod': True}:
             perform method operation
 
-    These three forms use syntax that just seems arbitrary and which 
-    does not help the user to comprehend the meaning of it.  In 
-    addition, since the order in which the decorators are applied 
-    may matter, the third, dictionary-style, syntax must be 
-    eliminated.  
-
+    I'm not as fond of the forms that use '[ ]' since code like
+    'foo()[a]' looks as if you are getting the item 'a' from 'foo()'.
+    Although, this isn't as much of an issue when using '[ ]' in
+    a prefix form.  The Java-like syntax adds new syntax that is 
+    very arbitrary and is almost Perl-ish.  In addition, since the 
+    order in which the decorators are applied may matter, the last,
+    dictionary-style, syntax must be eliminated.  
     
 Implementation Issues
 
@@ -151,6 +192,14 @@ Implementation Issues
     In either case, the modified function is bound to the function
     name when the 'def' statement is executed.
 
+Open Issues
+
+    It is not clear at the moment if it is even possible to have
+    multiple decorators for a function.  If decorators are required
+    to take a function/method and return a descriptor, it might 
+    not even be possible to wrap multiple decorators.  This should
+    be explored since the best syntax for multiple decorators
+    may not be the same as the best syntax for a single decorator.
 
 Current Implementations