[Python-Dev] buffer('abc') == 'abc' is False ?! (original) (raw)

Guido van Rossum guido@python.org
Wed, 16 Oct 2002 10:31:02 -0400

>>* signals "this data is binary data" >>* compares just fine to strings >>* gets accepted by all APIs which use the buffer interface to >> access the data >>* has a C API which can be used in extensions >>* is available in Python 2.1.x and up > > > I believe the string type meets all these requirements.

Except one which was implicit: how to tell binary data from text data. This information can sometimes be deduced from the string content provided you know what text data means to you, but this doesn't always work, since sometimes binary data happens to look like text data (ie. use only character ordinals as data bytes).

I don't understand why you need to signal "this is binary data" while at the same time you want to be able to compare to strings.

Also, since buffer objects can't be compared to strings right now, and you require compatibility with 2.1, there is no solution that satisfies your requirements, so I conclude you're just being "difficult". :-)

--Guido van Rossum (home page: http://www.python.org/~guido/)