[Python-Dev] Int FutureWarnings and other 2.4 TODOs
Nick Coghlan
ncoghlan at iinet.net.au
Thu Dec 4 09:50:40 EST 2003
[Guido]
>> I guess that means
>> I have to work harder and make the single int type support both
>> representations. I'm sure it can be done.
Guido van Rossum wrote:
>>>So the question is, does long have operations that int doesn't have?
>>>And if so, why can't those operations be added to int? And if there's
>>>a reason, is it good enough?
>>
>>Taking into account their difference in representation, a long can support
>>1<<32, but an int can't.
>
> We're talking about a hypothetical int here where that operation
> returns 4294967296L. (Not so hypothetical, it's implemented in Python
> 2.4 in CVS.)
The 'performance hack' point of view I was trying to suggest was along
the lines of:
"Python integers are capable of storing values of arbitrary magnitude,
subject only to the memory capacity of the machine. As a matter of
performance, Python will use native C integers (and native arithmetic)
when the stored value is small enough to fit."
That is, I was agreeing with Guido's first point above.
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