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

[Chris Barker]

On Mon, Feb 2, 2015 at 7:27 AM, Thomas Güttler <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.

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 :-)

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.

-Chris




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