[Python-Dev] PEP 754

Tim Peters tim.one at comcast.net
Fri Apr 23 16:51:56 EDT 2004

[Ivan Judson]
> What's needs to be done to possibly get PEP754 (fpconst) to move
> ahead and perhaps go into 2.4?

+ The implementation URL in the PEP no longer resolves, so that
  needs to be fixed.

+ Last time I saw it, fpconst.py had a Pfizer copyright and
  license, which makes headaches for everyone.

+ It needs docs.

+ It needs a test suite.

+ Guido has to Pronounce on it.

> In order for PEP754 to work, we need to have a bunch of people
> volunteer to maintain the IEEE-754 semantics for a bunch of
> difference platforms.  Feel free to try to drum up interest, but
> the PEP won't be accepted until there's evidence that people
> are making long-term commitments.

That isn't a good objection for this specific patch -- it's pure Python, and
picks apart bits using the struct module.  IIRC, it wasn't correctly written
for most 64-bit boxes, but that looked like a shallow flaw (I think it
assumed that a struct "l" format code, in native mode, always yields a
32-bit thingie).

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