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Indeed, please give a specific example, and point out exactly 
what in that example you think should change, and how you 
think it should change.  Else I've got no idea what you're 
talking about either.

>>> import decimal
>>> a = decimal.Decimal(3)
>>> str(a)
'3'
>>> len(str(a))
1
>>>

That's under current CVS Python, and I see nothing 
objectionable in it.  I'd bet several pennies it works the same 
under 2.3.4.