[Python-ideas] PEP 485: A Function for testing approximate equality (original) (raw)

Nikolaus Rath Nikolaus at rath.org
Fri Feb 6 02:42:47 CET 2015

Chris Barker <chris.barker-32lpuo7BZBA at public.gmane.org> writes:

On Thu, Feb 5, 2015 at 3:04 PM, Antoine Pitrou <solipsis-xNDA5Wrcr86sTnJN9+BGXg at public.gmane.org> wrote:

I think it is a nuisance that this PEP doesn't work at zero by default.

I think this is the biggest point of contention -- it' s a hard problem.

I think the PEP does a very good job of explaining why a default absolute tolerance does not make sense, and why 1e-8 is a reasonable default for relative tolerance.

Until someone makes an at least equally good case for a non-zero default absolute tolerance (and "too bad it doesn't work when testing against zero" isn't one), there really isn't much to discuss (IHMO).

Best, -Nikolaus

-- GPG encrypted emails preferred. Key id: 0xD113FCAC3C4E599F Fingerprint: ED31 791B 2C5C 1613 AF38 8B8A D113 FCAC 3C4E 599F

         »Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a Banana.«

More information about the Python-ideas mailing list