[Python-Dev] float atime/mtime/ctime - a bad idea?

[Kevin Jacobs]

On 16 Oct 2002, Martin v. Loewis wrote:
> Kevin Jacobs <jacobs@penguin.theopalgroup.com> writes:
> 
> > > Sounds good. Unless I hear otherwise, I'll add stat_float_times(bool).
> > 
> > Please don't!  The global setting isn't sufficient since many of us access
> > many 3rd party modules.  
> 
> Why is that insufficient? As long as you have modules that require int
> time stamps, you can't switch to float time stamps. If you find you
> are using such a module, tell the module author about that, and wait
> for a corrected module.

Why break all modules when only one needs the old behavior?  Think about how
from __future__ import is set up.

> > Why not simply create properies that return the int/float versions
> > from the same structure and store the float versions?
> 
> How can the property know whether to return an int or a float?

By name -- anyone who wants a floating point value can request
fst_mtime vs. st_mtime, or whatever.

-Kevin

--
Kevin Jacobs
The OPAL Group - Enterprise Systems Architect
Voice: (216) 986-0710 x 19         E-mail: jacobs@theopalgroup.com
Fax:   (216) 986-0714              WWW:    http://www.theopalgroup.com