int vs. float in benchmark testing

[Bart Nessux]

Peter Hansen wrote:
> Bart Nessux wrote:
> 
>>Would adding .0 to each of the numbers below turn this into a floating
>>point test? Seems too easy.
>>
>>def cpu_test():
>>    import time
>>    start = time.time()
>>    x = 0                               # 0.0
>>    while x < 9999999:                  # 9999999.0
>>       x = x + 1                                # 1.0
>>       print x
>>    print (time.time()-start)/60
>>cpu_test()
> 
> 
> Uh, yes it would, as far as it goes, but are you sure you're
> learning something useful by doing so?

Uh, yes. We're benchmarking different processors. An IBM PPC 970 does 
things differently than an Intel P4. Running the same bit of Python code 
on both makes for an interesting comparison. Since processors handle 
ints and floats differently, it is useful for me to test them both.