I agree that attachments should be orthogonal to types - that's why I added the "isa" overloading to settable-fn2. But I don't think annotations should be orthogonal.
The thing is, there's no way we'll be able to add arbitrary attachments to any object and have it continue to behave just as if there were no attachments in Arc. We'd need to either modify the core to give each object a Python/Ruby/Javascript/etc-style implicit table, which I don't think PG is likely to be very fond of (and which I don't think is a good idea besides); or we need to accept that there will be some cases where we won't be able to get attachments without a few compromises.
"Now this is the noble truth of the origin of suffering: it is this attachment which leads to renewed existence, accompanied by delight and lust, seeking delight here and there, that is, attachment to sensual pleasures, attachment to existence, attachment to extermination."
Therefore... buddha pg, please enlighten us and deliver us from attachment! ^^
