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How to sort a list? NOT a newbie question.

Michael James Barber mjbarber at ascc.artsci.wustl.edu
Tue Sep 18 05:44:51 EDT 2001 
In article <mailman.1000747640.16457.python-list at python.org>,
Ken Seehof <kseehof at neuralintegrator.com> wrote:
>
>Finally, there is the practical argument: Michael has given an example
>of useful sorting of complex numbers.  To counter this, someone must
>show an example of a realistic hypothetical bug where a programmer
>accidentally sorts or compares complex numbers with devastating
>results which would have been avoided if an exception had been
>raised.
>
I'd be interested to hear about such examples, too.  This was the behavior 
in Python 1.5, so possibly there are real examples, not just hypothetical 
ones?

>All experienced programmers know this:
>   importance(consistency) > importance(sensibility)
>
>Is there a PEP for this?  I couldn't find one.  It doesn't seem to be part
>of 228, though obviously it would be a requirement for 228.  If nobody
>responds to me that a PEP already exists, I'll make one.
>
Take a look at PEP 207 for something related.  Given rich comparisons, the 
most consistent and correct approach is, arguably, to eliminate 
comparisons of different types (except, presumably, int and float?).

PEP 209, concerning revisions to Numeric, is also relevant.  I suspect 
that most people using complex numbers also tend to use Numeric, so the 
most sensible approach may be to have different sorting behavior for lists 
and multiarrays.  Clashes with the inequality above, though.

If you decide to write a PEP, I am willing to help.  At this point, I am 
not certain what the right behavior is, but I do think it is worth getting 
the rationale shown.  I also think it is relevant for 228, which I see as 
very important.
-- 
					Michael J. Barber
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