RH6.1 coredump: float("10.01")

[Jeff Bauer]

I recently discovered a problem using the built-in
float() function on a client's RedHat 6.1 server.

    >>> float("10.01")
    Segmentation fault (core dumped)

If I use float() or string.atof() against any string
whose absolute value is greater than "10.0", I get 
a core dump.

I've duplicated this problem in C (egcs-2.91.66)
on this particular machine, so it's not a problem 
with the Python interpreter.  No problem on various 
SuSE Linuxes using egcs-2.91.66.

The tim-bot will say it's my just desserts for even
considering using floats in my code. <wink>

If anyone can confirm this problem on RedHat 6.1
(and even better, point me to a solution), please
email me privately -- or post to this list, if you
think it's relevant.  Thanks.

god-created-integers,-we-should-have-had-enough-
  sense-to-stop-there-ly y'rs,

Jeff Bauer
Rubicon Research