[Python-Dev] New operations in Decimal

[Tim Peters]

[Raymond Hettinger]
> ...
> My intention for the module is to be fully compliant with the spec and all of its
> tests.  Code written in other languages which support the spec should expect
> to be transferrable to Python and run exactly as they did in the original language.
>
> The module itself makes that promise:
>
>     "this module should be kept in sync with the latest updates
>     of the IBM specification as it evolves.  Those updates will
>     be treated as bug fixes (deviation from the spec is considered
>     a compatibility, usability bug)"
>
> If I still have any say in the matter, please consider this a pronouncement.  Tim,
> if you're listening, please chime in.

That was one of the major goals in agreeing to adopt an external
standard for decimal:  tedious arguments are left to the standard
creators instead of clogging python-dev.  Glad to see that's working
exactly as planned ;-)

I'm with Raymond on this one, especially given the triviality of
implementing the revised spec's new logical operations.

I personally wish they would have added more transcendental functions
to the spec instead.  That's bread-and-butter stuff for FP
applications, while I don't see much use for the new "bit" operations.
 But if I felt strongly enough about that, I'd direct my concerns to
the folks creating this standard.  As slippery slopes go, this less
than a handful of trivial new operations isn't steep enough to
measure, let alone cause a landslide.