Why isn't Python king of the hill?

[Grant Edwards]

On Sat, 2 Jun 2001 21:28:45 +0000 (UTC), E. Mark Ping <emarkp at CSUA.Berkeley.EDU> wrote:

>>So do I.  But every time I've seen an application _depend_ on exact
>>representations, its caused problems.  Perhaps the FP code you've
>>seen was better, but in my experience code that depends on exact
>>represention has caused problems.
>
>Ah, but your example was exact representation of *integers*, not just
>any value.

What I've seen happen: code is written by a programmer who
knows that the input values are going to be integer values that
can be represented exactly.  It works fine for a few years.

Then the system requirements are changed slightly and an input
that was previously integer valued, is now non integer-valued.

Or the input scaling is changed so that the integral values can
no longer be represented exactly.  In either case, the system
stops working right.  

If the original design hadn't assumed exact representation, the
problem is avoided.

-- 
Grant Edwards                   grante             Yow!  I'm CONTROLLED by
                                  at               the CIA!! EVERYONE is
                               visi.com            controlled by the CIA!!