[Python-Dev] Python and the Unicode Character Database

Mon Nov 29 01:14:31 CET 2010

Martin v. Löwis wrote:
>>>>>> float('١٢٣٤.٥٦')
>>> 1234.56
>> I think it's a bug that this works. The definition of the float builtin says
[...]
I think that's a documentation bug rather than a coding bug. 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.
The former ensures that literals in code are always readable; the later 
allows users to enter numbers in their own number system. How could that 
be a bad thing?
-- 
Steven