[Python-ideas] PEP 485: A Function for testing approximate equality

[Chris Barker]

On Sun, Feb 15, 2015 at 2:07 PM, Neil Girdhar <mistersheik at gmail.com> wrote:

> I'm +1 on the idea, +1 on the name, but -1 on symmetry.
>
> I'm glad that you included "other approaches" (what people actually do in
> the field).  However, your argument that "is it that hard to just type it
> in" — the whole point of this method is to give a self-commenting line that
> describes what the reader means.
>

yes. sure.


>  Doesn't it make sense to say:  is *my value* close to *some true value*?
> If you wanted a symmetric test in english, you might say "are these values
> close to each other"?
>

exactly -- it also makes sense to ask "are these values close to each
other" The problem is that you can't have one function that does both
(without flags or optional parameters. After a lengthy discussion, I
decided that the later was a bit more useful and less surprising.

And do read carefully -- if your tolerance is small -- it doesn't matter at
all.

-Chris




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Christopher Barker, Ph.D.
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