[Python-Dev] Python and the Unicode Character Database

[Alexander Belopolsky]

On Sun, Nov 28, 2010 at 7:01 PM, Antoine Pitrou <solipsis at pitrou.net> wrote:
..
>> That's different. Python doesn't assign any semantic meaning to the
>> characters in identifiers. The non-latin support for numerals, though,
>> could change the meaning of a program dramatically and needs to be
>> well-specified. Whether int() should do this is debatable.
>
> Perhaps int(), float(), Decimal() and friends could take an optional
> parameter indicating whether non-ascii digits are considered. It would
> then satisfy all parties.

What parties?  I don't think anyone has claimed to actually have used
non-ASCII digits with float(). Of course it is fun that Python can
process Bengali numerals, but so would be allowing Roman numerals.
There is a reason why after careful consideration, PEP 313 was
ultimately rejected.

BTW, it is common in Russia to specify months using roman numerals.
Maybe we should consider allowing datetime.date() accept '1.IV.2011'.