PEP 285: Adding a bool type

[Alex Martelli]

Chris Liechti wrote:
        ...
> the above argument about speed seems to be stronger one against the
> change. it would mean that the python core must be adapted so that

I think the speed issue is tiny -- I raised it as a 'by the by', not because
I think the Python language should ever be determined by such issues
as a 10% speed difference in a rather trivial case (how many empty
functions returning a boolean constant do you write in a typical day?-).

> i'm reading in the thread pros and cons, regarding the problems for such a
> small benefit of having True and False i vote for inluding it later in
> Python 3000, if ever.

I do agree that the several small problems (together with the one I
don't consider all that small -- making Python a bit harder to teach)
add up to more than the few small benefits (not just having the True
and False constants -- I include the ability for low-level code to
distinguish between e.g. 0 and False, to ease a bit the task of
interfacing to databases, RPC systems, etc, which do distinguish,
among the small benefits).  And therefore, I'd much rather not see
this change today, even if that meant keeping the Damocles' sword
of the fear of seeing it appear in Py3000:-).


Alex