3 ms·

> A programmer sees 2 and 2.5 as different types. So does anyone who's done math. They also know 3/5ths is different. It's not unreasonable to ask for addition

> A programmer sees 2 and 2.5 as different types. So does anyone who's done math. They also know 3/5ths is different. It's not unreasonable to ask for addition to be defined in a reasonable way though. > This answer is not Python-specific, of course, but it's a good example of the overhead that gets introduced when a language becomes too type-happy. Besdies OCaml, who actually does this for general programming? I can't think of many examples at all. P.S., "A normal person doesn't care. He just wants". Stop this. The community here might give you a pass for being tedious and correct. Being tedious and incorrect is pretty much unforgivable.

192387193 9y ago
P.S.: Yes, political officer, this comrade will dutifully write a self-criticism and disappear into a forced labor camp for 5 years.
Turing_Machine 9y ago
"So does anyone who's done math." Hmmm... I could have had an undergrad math degree in addition to the CS degree if I'd stuck around one more semester, but decided to head off for CS grad school instead. And yeah, I understand cardinality, and why there are more real numbers than integers (and could even write the proof for you from memory). I also completely understand that 2.5 in a computer isn't actually represented as a non-integral real number, or anything like it. The computers we have now can't represent arbitrary real numbers (quantum computers can, I think, but I haven't studied those in any great degree). At one time I even wrote some non-trivial asm programs that ran on the 80x86 FPU, but I'd have to do a fair amount of review before doing that again. So yeah, I'd say I've both "done some math" and have a good handle on how integers and floats are represented in a computer. That still doesn't mean I want to have to put in a freakin' type cast when I add 2 and 2.5 on a pocket calculator. Nor does anyone else.
- KirinDave 9y ago
  Answer my question. I'm not going to defend a non-existent problem. Or is this about Pascal again? Did ocaml bite you and you still have a mark? I'm trying to give you an opportunity to suggest this isn't a straw man. My most charitable hypothesis is that you really don't know much about modern static and strong typing techniques. Everyone's numeric tower accounts for this and does sensible (if not optimal) type conversions. The best of the bunch give you fine grained control on what happens when. That something must happen is inescapable.

192387193 9y ago

P.S.: Yes, political officer, this comrade will dutifully write a self-criticism and disappear into a forced labor camp for 5 years.

Turing_Machine 9y ago

"So does anyone who's done math." Hmmm... I could have had an undergrad math degree in addition to the CS degree if I'd stuck around one more semester, but decided to head off for CS grad school instead. And yeah, I understand cardinality, and why there are more real numbers than integers (and could even write the proof for you from memory). I also completely understand that 2.5 in a computer isn't actually represented as a non-integral real number, or anything like it. The computers we have now can't represent arbitrary real numbers (quantum computers can, I think, but I haven't studied those in any great degree). At one time I even wrote some non-trivial asm programs that ran on the 80x86 FPU, but I'd have to do a fair amount of review before doing that again. So yeah, I'd say I've both "done some math" and have a good handle on how integers and floats are represented in a computer. That still doesn't mean I want to have to put in a freakin' type cast when I add 2 and 2.5 on a pocket calculator. Nor does anyone else.

KirinDave 9y ago
Answer my question. I'm not going to defend a non-existent problem. Or is this about Pascal again? Did ocaml bite you and you still have a mark? I'm trying to give you an opportunity to suggest this isn't a straw man. My most charitable hypothesis is that you really don't know much about modern static and strong typing techniques. Everyone's numeric tower accounts for this and does sensible (if not optimal) type conversions. The best of the bunch give you fine grained control on what happens when. That something must happen is inescapable.