Home Original page

How about adding rational fraction to Python?

Grant Edwards grante at visi.com
Tue Feb 26 21:11:34 EST 2008 
On 2008-02-27, J. Clifford Dyer <jcd at sdf.lonestar.org> wrote:

> But I don't think that *was* the issue in the first place. The
> issue is whether python's division should only yield integers
> when given integer inputs.  "Natural" is a polemical term no
> matter who is using it in this argument, so lets drop it
> altogether.  If the issue is that it should remain an integer
> because that mimics how the computer works, than I think it is
> worth pointing out that allowing a conversion to a long also
> goes against how the computer works;

I would have preferred that didn't happen either.  I just don't
like implicit/automatic conversions from one type to another.

  "If I wanted a long, I'd have used a long."

> the computer would have a register overflow.  If the issue is
> that in python the division operator has always performed
> integer division, and should not change, then I think we're
> talking about a philosophical opposition to Python 3 that goes
> far deeper than just how integer division behaves.
>
> At any rate, the whole argument is irrelevant

Certainly.  The decision has been made and it's not going to
change -- at least not until the next time it changes. :)


-- 
Grant Edwards                   grante             Yow!  Is this ANYWHERE,
                                  at               USA?
                               visi.com
More information about the Python-list mailing list