[Jsr308-statements] annotations on code blocks

[Michael Ernst]

> Perhaps Michael can elaborate little 
> more on the reasons why method receivers annotation should be 
> distinguished from annotations on the method itself, but it look like this:
> 
> public int size() @Readonly { ... }

An annotation before the method declaration annotates either the return
type, or the method declaration.  You can tell the annotation target by
looking at the annotation which it is, as in

  @Deprecated
  @NonNull Dimension getSize foo() { ... }

where @Deprecated applies to the method and @NonNull applies to the return
type.

An annotation after the parameter list applies to the receiver ("this").
For example,

  Dimension getSize() @Readonly { ... }

indicates that getSize does not modify its receiver.  (That's different
than saying the method has no side effects at all, so it isn't appropriate
as a method annotation.)

Does this make sense?

                    -Mike

PS:  This is now getting a bit off-topic for jsr308-statements mailing
list, but the discussion did start on-topic.