proposed language change to int/int==float (was: PEP0238 lament)

[Tim Peters]

[Bengt Richter]
> ...
> There really shouldn't be that much floating point implementation
> code in the interpreter or VM.

Right, there isn't.

> I wonder what it would take to rewrite it to take real advantage
> of IEEE754.

Since C provides no portable way to *spell* this stuff, it requires
boundless masses of platform-specific #ifdef's.  That requires in turn a
boundless supply of people who are expert in both 754 and their platform
(where "platform" is a combination of compiler, library, HW, and sometimes
subdivided across specific releases of any or all those).

It would much easier to take advantage of 754 by simulating fp entirely in
software, avoiding the platform HW and C fp facilities entirely.

> That would be a real Python distinction.

Then again, distinctions aren't always a good thing <wink>.