[Python-Dev] Re: PEP239 (Rational Numbers) Reference Implementation and new issues

Oren Tirosh oren-py-d@hishome.net
Wed, 9 Oct 2002 02:02:12 +0200


On Tue, Oct 08, 2002 at 12:09:57PM -0400, Guido van Rossum wrote:
>
> > '3/5'
> 
> I'd like at least one of those return '0.6' or '0.6r'.  

Why should any of them go through a potetially lossy transformation?
If you need to approximate a ratio as a finite decimal fraction it should 
be explicit: str(float(r)). 

I think it will also make a good visual cue to always use rational notation 
for rationals and decimal fractions for floats.

The result of repr() should eval() back to exactly the same object. The 
result of str() should be the 'pretty' representation because this is the 
form displayed by print statements and %s formatting. I find '2/3' prettier 
than '0.666666666667'

pretty-is-in-the-eyes-of-the-beholder-ly yours,

	Oren