You should be aware of PEP 754 and address it. http://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0754/
Also note that Python conforms to C89, not C99. Any solution should work on all Python platforms. Some of those platforms are here: http://www.python.org/dev/buildbot/all/ n -- On 6/18/06, Brett Cannon <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > [skipping answering the numeric-specific questions since I am no math expert > =) ] > > > On 6/15/06, Nick Maclaren <[EMAIL PROTECTED] > wrote: > > As I have posted to comp.lang.python, I am not happy with Python's > > numerical robustness - because it basically propagates the 'features' > > of IEEE 754 and (worse) C99. Yes, it's better, but I would like to > > make it a LOT better. I already have a more robust version of 2.4.2, > > but there are some problems, technical and political. I should > > appreciate advice. > > > > 1) Should I start off by developing a testing version, to give people > > a chance to scream at me, or write a PEP? Because I am no Python > > development expert, the former would help to educate me into its > > conventions, technical and political. > > > I would do both. It is a lot easier to get something accepted when you have > working code. But a PEP to vent possible arguments against the change along > with any backwards-compatibility issues will be needed for something as > major as changing how math works. > > > 2) Because some people are dearly attached to the current behaviour, > > warts and all, and there is a genuine quandary of whether the 'right' > > behaviour is trap-and-diagnose, propagate-NaN or whatever-IEEE-754R- > > finally-specifies (let's ignore C99 and Java as beyond redemption), > > there might well need to be options. These can obviously be done by > > a command-line option, an environment variable or a float method. > > There are reasons to disfavour the last, but all are possible. Which > > is the most Pythonesque approach? > > > > 3) I am rather puzzled by the source control mechanism. Are commit > > privileges needed to start a project like this in the main tree? > > Note that I am thinking of starting a test subtree only. > > > To work directly in Python's repository, yes, checkin privileges are needed. > In order to get these, though, you usually either need to have been > involved in python-dev for a while and be known to the group or have someone > everyone trusts to watch over you as you do your work in a branch. > > > 4) Is there a Python hacking document? Specifically, if I want to > > add a new method to a built-in type, is there any guide on where to > > start? > > > The C API docs are at http://docs.python.org/ and there are some docs at > http://www.python.org/dev/ in terms of intro to how development for Python > tends to take place. > > -Brett > > > > 5) I am NOT offering to write a full floating-point emulator, though > > it would be easy enough and could provide repeatable, robust results. > > "Easy" does not mean "quick" :-( Maybe when I retire. Incidentally, > > experience from times of yore is that emulated floating-point would > > be fast enough that few, if any, Python users would notice. > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Python-Dev mailing list > Python-Dev@python.org > http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-dev > Unsubscribe: > http://mail.python.org/mailman/options/python-dev/nnorwitz%40gmail.com > > > _______________________________________________ Python-Dev mailing list Python-Dev@python.org http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-dev Unsubscribe: http://mail.python.org/mailman/options/python-dev/archive%40mail-archive.com
