[Python-Dev] random.jumpback?

[Tim Peters]

[Skip Montanaro]
>>> I was adding __all__ to the random module and I noticed this very
>>> unpythonic example in the module docstring:
>>>
>>>     >>> g = Random(42)  # arbitrary
>>>     >>> g.random()
>>>     0.25420336316883324
>>>     >>> g.jumpahead(6953607871644L - 1) # move *back* one
>>>     >>> g.random()
>>>     0.25420336316883324

[Tim]
>> Did you miss the sentence preceding the example, starting "Just
>> for fun"?

[Guido]
> In that vein, the example isn't compatible with doctest, is it?

I'm not sure what you're asking.  The example *works* under doctest,
although random.py is not a doctest'ed module (it has an "eyeball test" at
the end, and you have to be an expert to guess whether or not "it worked"
from staring at the output -- not my doing, and way non-trivial to
automate).

So it's compatible in the "it works" sense, although it's vulnerable to
x-platform fp output vagaries in the last few bits.  If random.py ever gets
doctest'ed, I'll fix that.

Or maybe you're saying that a "just for fun" example doesn't need to be
accurate?  I'd disagree with that, but am not sure that's what you're
saying, so won't disagree just yet <wink>.