[Python-ideas] float('∞')=float('inf')

[MRAB]

On 12/07/2013 19:17, Serhiy Storchaka wrote:
> 12.07.13 18:51, Chris Angelico написав(ла):
>> On Sat, Jul 13, 2013 at 1:42 AM, Serhiy Storchaka <storchaka at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> 12.07.13 17:52, Chris Angelico написав(ла):
>>>> On Sat, Jul 13, 2013 at 12:43 AM, Gerald Britton
>>>> <gerald.britton at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>> So, if Python doesn't recognize the symbol for pi, why should it
>>>>> recognize the one for infinity?
>>>>
>>>> Considering that Python can't represent π in a float anyway, I
>>>> wouldn't be too bothered.
>>>
>>> However Python can represent ½ in a float. Shouldn't it recognize the symbol
>>> for ½?
>>
>> That one would be more plausible, in the same way that many of the
>> other Unicode digits are accepted. Not sure there's all that much of a
>> use-case for it, though, and if it's going to complicate the code I
>> wouldn't bother; for instance, it's fairly obvious that "3½" should be
>> accepted, but what does "½3" mean? I'm -0 on it initially, but would
>> change that to +0 if a suitable answer is found for that (even if it's
>> "raise ValueError, same as float('1.1.1') does") that doesn't make the
>> code horrendous.
>
> This will complicate the code is not more than recognizing ∞. I don't
> propose accepting ½. I just noticed that the accepting ∞ will open a
> wide gate for a lot of other cases.
>
In other words, it would be the infinite end of the wedge. :-)