[Python-Dev] Re: Decimal data type issues

[Aahz]

[That'll teach me to respond before reading a thread. ;-) ]

On Fri, Apr 16, 2004, Kevin Jacobs wrote:
>
> Python decimals would do well to support the creation of instances
> with fixed scale and precision parameters, since this information will
> be what is provided by databases, other financial and engineering
> applications, and schema. i.e., these parameters override the natural
> scale and precision found in the literal values used when constructing
> decimals. e.g., hypothetically:
>
>  Decimal('2.4000', precision=2, scale=1) == Decimal('2.4')
>  Decimal('2.4', precision=5, scale=4) == Decimal('2.4000')

I'd say it makes more sense for someone else to implement these features
as helper functions or classes.  They're not directly part of the
Decimal system.  Facundo got roped into this because he wanted a Money
class and was persuaded to do the finishing work for getting Decimal
into Python as the basis.  Seems to me this is in the same category of
building some additional capabilities on top of Decimal.
-- 
Aahz (aahz at pythoncraft.com)           <*>         http://www.pythoncraft.com/

"I used to have a .sig but I found it impossible to please everyone..."  --SFJ