[Python-Dev] Deprecation warning on integer shifts and such

[Tim Peters]

[Guido]
> ...
> PEP 237 is about erasing all differences between int and long.  When
> seen as a long, 0xff000000 has the value 4278190080.  But currently it
> is an int and has the value -16777216.

Note that while it's an int under all current Python installations, the
*value* differs:  on 64-bit boxes other than Win64, 0xff000000 already has
value 4278190080.  This creates porting problems too.

> As a bit pattern that doesn't make much of a difference, but as a
> numeric value it makes a huge difference (2**32 to be exact :-).  So
> in Python 2.4, 0xff<<24, as well as the constant 0xff000000, will have
> the value 4278190080.

Some users won't even notice <wink>.  They may notice that
0xff00000000000000 "changes value", though.

> ...
> In the long run you'll thank me for this.

I'll start today:  thank you.