[Python-Dev] hex constants, bit patterns, PEP 237 warnings and gettext

[Barry A. Warsaw]

>>>>> "OT" == Oren Tirosh <oren-py-d@hishome.net> writes:

    OT> What's wrong with 0x950412de is that with a word width of 32
    OT> bits it is negative and therefore the invisible bits to the
    OT> left are all set. With a word width of 64 bits or with an
    OT> infinite width they are cleared.

My point is that if I write a hex constant I never think about it as a
negative number; it's always an unsigned bit pattern.  I know Python
currently disagrees when the bit pattern is 32-bits in width and the
top bit is set, and that PEP 237 is the roadmap to get there from
here.

>>>>> "GvR" == Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> writes:

    >> I'm trying to understand why hex constants > sys.maxint have to
    >> deprecated.

    GvR> Hm, maybe I should use a different warning category rather
    GvR> than DeprecationWarning?  Any suggestions?

I think that would help a lot, yes.  We had a lively internal
discussion this morning about it and we came up with FutureWarning.
Maybe Guido will come up with a better name, but I don't think it
should be DeprecationWarning.  The code that causes the warning isn't
being deprecated, its semantics are destined to be changed, and that
seems like an important distinction.

-Barry