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

Peter Funk pf@artcom-gmbh.de
Tue, 12 Mar 2002 08:42:55 +0100 (CET)

Hi,

Paul Prescod:

"Gerald S. Williams" wrote: > > Please don't take this as a real endorsement, and YMMV to > be sure, but somehow this seems right to me given the way > Python currently determines "truth": > > >>> 1 == True, 2 == True, [] == False > (True, True, True)

I'm confident that will never be the case. if x: ... should be considered a shortcut syntax for if bool(x): ... That says nothing about the equality of the object x and one of the two truth constants.

That would slaughter backward compatibility. And that would hurt the trust and expectations of current Python users.

Please don't do this.
Please don't sacrifice backward compatibility.

Regards, Peter

Peter Funk, Oldenburger Str.86, D-27777 Ganderkesee, Germany, Fax:+49 4222950260 office: +49 421 20419-0 (ArtCom GmbH, Grazer Str.8, D-28359 Bremen, Germany)