On Thu, Dec 4, 2008 at 11:10 AM, Chris Rebert
How often do you put non-integer constants in real programs? Don't you find that most real decimal apps start with external data sources instead of all the data values being hard-coded in your program?
In all fairness, by that same argument we shouldn't have float literals, yet we do despite that. They're useful in scripts where things are hardcoded. Later, the scripts grow and we do end up reading the numbers in from external sources. That doesn't mean the initial script version wasn't useful. Literals help when writing proofs-of-concept and rapid prototypes, areas where Python has historically done well. Java's designers probably used similar arguments against hard-coding when deciding not to include collection literals; meanwhile Python does have such literals and they appear to be much cherished as language features go. The parallels to the decimal situation are striking. Having decimal literals as well would at least keep things consistent. Sets are less common, yet they now have literals; why not decimals too?
Cheers, Chris
I absolutely agree. Literals, also, can help improve language speed. Cheers, Cesare