[Python-Dev] Issue 2736: datetimes and Unix timestamps

[Alexander Belopolsky]

On Tue, Jun 5, 2012 at 1:41 PM, Guido van Rossum <guido at python.org> wrote:
> What do they want to set the dst flag for?

To shift the responsibility to deal with the DST ambiguity to the
user.   This is what POSIX mktime with varying degree of success.

> I think I am advocating for the former but without the dst flag.

The cost of dst flag is low and most users will ignore it anyways, but
by providing it we will at least acknowledge the issue.  I don't care
much one way or another.

The remaining issue is the return type.  Most of the use cases that
have been brought up cast the timestamp to int as soon as it is
computed.   I recall a recent discussion about high-presision
timestamps, but don't recall the conclusion.  I guess we should offer
timestamp() returning float and let those who care about range or
precision write their own solution.