[Python-Dev] Re: Decimal data type issues

[Batista, Facundo]

[Tim Peters]

#- [Batista, Facundo]
#- > Well, I think we must decide how it works
#- >
#- > With:
#- >
#- > >>> d = Decimal('12345.678')
#- > >>> d
#- > Decimal( (0, (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8), -3) )
#- > >>> str(d)
#- > '12345.678'
#- >
#- > And being the syntax Decimal.round(n), we have the
#- > following options:
#- >
#- >   a) n is the quantity of relevant digits of the
#- >      final number (must be non negative).
#- ...
#- >   b) n has the same behaviour that in the built in round().
#- ...
#- > What option do you all like more?
#- 
#- I like (c) best:  drop round(), because it's redundant -- 
#- there are other
#- ways to do (a) and (b) already.  Perhaps (b) isn't obvious, 
#- so extending
#- your example with what already exists:
#- 
#- >>> dimes = Decimal.Decimal('0.1')
#- >>> print d.quantize(dimes)
#- 12345.7
#- >>> print d.quantize(Decimal.Decimal('1e1'))
#- 1.235E+4
#- >>>

The round() method has the appealing that it could has the same
name/meaning/function that the built in round().

But, the PEP is for implementing the Spec, so I'm +1 to drop round(), at
least in this stage.


#- In general, we should be very reluctant to extend the spec 
#- at the start:
#- it's complicated, subtle and exacting, and plenty of big 
#- brains are working
#- hard on getting the spec exactly right.  Alas, it's also 
#- still a bit of a
#- moving target.

Agree, agree.

.	Facundo