Python 1.6a2 Unicode bug (was Re: comparing strings and ints)

[Fredrik Lundh]

Aahz Maruch <aahz at netcom.com> wrote:
> >Python 1.6a2 (#0, Apr  5 2000, 23:56:55)
> >Copyright 1991-1995 Stichting Mathematisch Centrum, Amsterdam
> >>>> u"abc" < "†„”"
> >Traceback (most recent call last):
> >  File "<stdin>", line 1, in ?
> >ValueError: UTF-8 decoding error: unexpected code byte
>
> That looks like a bug to me.

as far as I can tell, it's supposed to be a feature.

if you mix 8-bit strings with unicode strings, python 1.6a2
attempts to interpret the 8-bit string as an utf-8 encoded
unicode string.

but yes, I also think it's a bug.  but this far, my attempts
to get someone else to fix it has failed.  might have to do
it myself... ;-)

</F>