[Python-ideas] Infinite in Python (not just in datetime)

[MRAB]

On 2015-02-02 16:45, Chris Barker wrote:
> On Mon, Feb 2, 2015 at 7:27 AM, Thomas Güttler
> <guettliml at thomas-guettler.de <mailto:guettliml at thomas-guettler.de>> wrote:
>
>         Infinite what?
>
>     Integer
>
> Well, inf is supported in floats because it is supported in the native
> machine double. I suspect that adding inf and -inf (and NaN) to integers
> would end up being a pretty heavy-weight addition.
>
Python 3's int isn't limited to a native machine integer, so it's not
impossible to extend it to include infinity...

> On the other hand, my quicky off the cuff implementation of InfDateTime
> is, in fact, a  universal infinity -- i.e. it compares as greater than
> any other object, not just a datetime object. I did that more because it
> was easy than anything else, but perhaps it could be generally useful to
> have a Inf and -Inf object, kind of like None.
>
> Or it would just create a huge set of confusing corner cases :-)
>
And who knows what it could break!

> I would much rather see a infinite datetime object that a big discussion
> about the implications of a generic infinite object -- it is focused,
> has proven used cases, and wouldn't impact anything beyond datetime.
>