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

[Jack Jansen]

Martin:

> Before that happens, you might want to anticipate that problem, and
> propose an implementation that means minimum changes for you - it then
> will likely mean minimum changes for everybody else, as well. Perhaps
> "k" isn't such a good solution, perhaps "I" is better, or perhaps "i"
> should weaken its range checking, and emit a deprecationwarning when
> an unsigned number is passed.

The least amount of work for me would be caused by keeping "i" semantics 
as they are, of course.

If we switch to "k" for integers in the range -2**-31..2**31-1 that 
would not be too much work, as a lot of the code is generated (I would 
take the quick and dirty approach of using k for all my integers). Only 
the hand-written code would have to be massaged by hand.

If we have only pure signed and pure unsigned converters it would mean 
an extraordinary amount of work, but luckily it seems that that is not 
going to happen.

On Tuesday, August 13, 2002, at 02:34 , Guido van Rossum wrote:
> Why is it so hard to get people to think about what they need?  (I
> mean beyond "I don't want anything to change" or vague things like
> that.  I am looking for an API that will make developers like Jack as
> well as other extension developers happy, but it feels like pulling
> teeth.

It feels that way because pulling teeth is probably exactly the right 
analogy: what you're doing is probably a good idea in the long run, but 
right now it hurts...


--
- Jack Jansen        <Jack.Jansen@oratrix.com>        
http://www.cwi.nl/~jack -
- If I can't dance I don't want to be part of your revolution -- Emma 
Goldman -