How about adding rational fraction to Python?

[Jeff Schwab]

J. Cliff Dyer wrote:
> On Tue, 2008-02-26 at 04:29 -0800, Lie wrote:
>>> J Cliff Dyer:
>>> I'm in the camp that believes that 3/4 does indeed yield the integer
>> 0,
>>> but should be spelled 3//4 when that is the intention.
>> That's creepy for people that are new to programming and doesn't know
>> how CPUs work and are used to general mathematics. That means most
>> people. As programming language are now more accessible to regular
>> people without specialized Computer Science degree, it is a just
>> natural trend that computer arithmetic must be done in an expectable
>> manner as seen by those general population not by people who holds a
>> CS degree. 
> 
> Of course.  That's why I think you ought to spell it 3//4.  Nobody gets
> confused when a strange operator that they've never seen before does
> something unusual.  Average Jo off the street looks at python code and
> sees 3/4, and immediately thinks "aha! .75!"  Show the same person 3//4,
> and she'll think, "A double slash?  I'd better check the
> documentation--or better yet, play with it a little in the interactive
> interpreter."

Or Jo thinks // is a typo, and helpfully "fixes" it.