[Python-Dev] Re: PEP 285: Adding a bool type (original) (raw)

David Abrahams David Abrahams" <david.abrahams@rcn.com
Wed, 3 Apr 2002 17:54:37 -0500

----- Original Message ----- From: "Ka-Ping Yee" <ping@lfw.org>

Guido van Rossum wrote: > No. That would break backwards compatibility. False==0, and True==1; > everything else follows from that. (But False is not 0, and True is > not 1!)

This is a strange distinction to make -- one that is not made in any other programming language i have ever encountered. Of course i get it and you get it -- but it will be so hard to teach this particular weirdness that i consider it fatal to the proposal.

C++ is /exactly/ like that. I think also C99, but don't quote me.