-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > Background: I'm working on a project using very large dictionaries (64 > bit Python) and question from my client is how effective is Python's > default hash technique for our data set?
Python hash functions return a long which in a 64 bit process is 32 bits on Windows and 64 bits on pretty much every other 64 bit environment. > Their concern is based on the > belief that Python's default dictionary hash scheme is optimized for 32 > bit vs. 64 bit environments and may not have anticipated the additional > range of keys that can be generated in a 64 bit environment. Our keys > are based on 20 to 44 byte ASCII (7-bit) alpha-numeric strings. Why not have them look at the source code? It is well commented and there is another file with various notes. Look at Objects/dictobject.c and Objects/dictnotes.txt A teaser comment for you: Most hash schemes depend on having a "good" hash function, in the sense of simulating randomness. Python doesn't. Roger -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.4.9 (GNU/Linux) iEYEARECAAYFAkk1jsUACgkQmOOfHg372QTeEQCeJwkRphiPeDefkANg1IdG3HH1 oocAoICJk6NGxVmtZTZtLOL4Sv4aCw1n =IqsO -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list