[Python-Dev] Python and the Unicode Character Database (original) (raw)

Ben Finney ben+python at benfinney.id.au
Mon Nov 29 02:25:56 CET 2010

Steven D'Aprano <steve at pearwood.info> writes:

If Python wishes to limit the digits allowed in numeric literals to ASCII 0...9, that's one thing, but I think that the digits allowed in numeric strings should allow the full range of digits supported by the Unicode standard.

I assume you specifically mean that the numeric class constructors, like ‘int’ and ‘float’, should parse their input string such that any character Unicode defines as a numeric digit is mapped to the corresponding digit.

That sounds attractive, but it raises questions about mixed notations, mixing digits from different writing systems, and probably other questionss I haven't thought of. It's not something to make a simple yes-or-no-decision on now, IMO.

This sounds best suited to a PEP, which someone who cares enough can champion in ‘python-ideas’.

-- \ “The manager has personally passed all the water served here.” | `\ —hotel, Acapulco | o_) | Ben Finney

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