[Python-Dev] Impoverished compare ...

[Erik]

Hi.

I'm looking at stuff proposed over on Python-Ideas, and I'd appreciate 
some pointers as to the basics of how C-level objects are generally 
compared in Python 3.

The issue is related to the performance of PyObject_RichCompare. I got 
to the point where I was trying to work out what was the _alternative_ 
to RichCompare. If a comparison is not "rich", then what is it? There's 
a tp_richcompare slot in the type structure, but I haven't noticed 
anything else obvious for simple comparison (In 2.x days - which I have 
more experience with - __cmp__ was a thing which now seems to be gone. I 
understand the Python-level changes with sort(..., key=foo) but I've not 
looked at the underlying C implementation until now).


Anyway, I followed things as far as Objects/typeobject.c and then I got 
bitten by a macro dialect that I don't immediately grok, so anything 
that spells it out a bit more plainly would be nice (I can follow the 
code if I need to - but a shortcut from those who know this off the top 
of their head would be helpful).

Thanks, E.