[Python-ideas] Python Numbers as Human Concept Decimal System

[Mark H. Harris]

On Thursday, March 6, 2014 9:45:47 PM UTC-6, Steven D'Aprano wrote:
 

> Decimal is not a panacea. Both Decimal and binary floats have the same 
> limitations, they just occur in different places for different numbers. 
> All floating point numbers have these same issues. Fixed point numbers 
> have different issues, rationals have their own issues, and symbolic 
> computations have a different set of issues. 
>

       hi Steven,  yes, I concur.  My primary objection (for immediate 
concern)
is that we have now a very fast module for doing decimal floating point 
 math
with less of the issues you speak of. Doing decimal floating point math by
default, or at a minimum, providing a way to enter decimal numbers 1.234d
would do a lot to alleviate  much of the perceived difficulty with float 
issues. 

>
> Computer maths is a leaky abstraction. No matter what you do, how you 
> implement it, the abstraction leaks. Not even Mathematica can entirely 
> hide the fact that it is computing rather than performing a Platonic 
> ideal of mathematics. 
>

      Again, I concur.  Leaky is one thing... but being mired in 40-year-old
paradigms because IEEE 754 1985 floats |doubles are so entrenched just
doesn't make sense to me, and should be corrected.  

       I am not insisting on Guido's "sweeping" reform.  I'm just trying to 
make
like a little easier for number munching and get folks to be forward 
thinking 
about moving to a decimal based floating point system of number for python
by default---sometime.

      Thank you for your response, Steven.
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