Backport of r59456:59458 from py3k to trunk
Issue #1580: New free format floating point representation based on "Floating-Point Printer Sample Code", by Robert G. Burger. For example repr(11./5) now returns '2.2' instead of '2.2000000000000002'.

Thanks to noam for the patch! I had to modify doubledigits.c slightly to support X64 and IA64 machines on Windows. I also added the new file to the three project files.
diff --git a/Objects/doubledigits.c b/Objects/doubledigits.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1f1c91c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Objects/doubledigits.c
@@ -0,0 +1,601 @@
+/* Free-format floating point printer
+ * 
+ * Based on "Floating-Point Printer Sample Code", by Robert G. Burger,
+ * http://www.cs.indiana.edu/~burger/fp/index.html
+ */
+
+#include "Python.h"
+
+#if defined(__alpha) || defined(__i386) || defined(_M_IX86) || defined(_M_X64) || defined(_M_IA64)
+#define LITTLE_ENDIAN_IEEE_DOUBLE
+#elif !(defined(__ppc__) || defined(sparc) || defined(__sgi) || defined(_IBMR2) || defined(hpux))
+#error unknown machine type
+#endif
+
+#if defined(_M_IX86)
+#define UNSIGNED64 unsigned __int64
+#elif defined(__alpha)
+#define UNSIGNED64 unsigned long
+#else
+#define UNSIGNED64 unsigned long long
+#endif
+
+#ifndef U32
+#define U32 unsigned int
+#endif
+
+/* exponent stored + 1024, hidden bit to left of decimal point */
+#define bias 1023
+#define bitstoright 52
+#define m1mask 0xf
+#define hidden_bit 0x100000
+#ifdef LITTLE_ENDIAN_IEEE_DOUBLE
+struct dblflt {
+    unsigned int m4: 16;
+    unsigned int m3: 16;
+    unsigned int m2: 16;
+    unsigned int m1: 4;
+    unsigned int e: 11;
+    unsigned int s: 1;
+};
+#else
+/* Big Endian IEEE Double Floats */
+struct dblflt {
+    unsigned int s: 1;
+    unsigned int e: 11;
+    unsigned int m1: 4;
+    unsigned int m2: 16;
+    unsigned int m3: 16;
+    unsigned int m4: 16;
+};
+#endif
+#define float_radix 2.147483648e9
+
+
+typedef UNSIGNED64 Bigit;
+#define BIGSIZE 24
+#define MIN_E -1074
+#define MAX_FIVE 325
+#define B_P1 ((Bigit)1 << 52)
+
+typedef struct {
+   int l;
+   Bigit d[BIGSIZE];
+} Bignum;
+
+static Bignum R, S, MP, MM, five[MAX_FIVE];
+static Bignum S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, S8, S9;
+static int ruf, k, s_n, use_mp, qr_shift, sl, slr;
+
+static void mul10(Bignum *x);
+static void big_short_mul(Bignum *x, Bigit y, Bignum *z);
+/*
+static void print_big(Bignum *x);
+*/
+static int estimate(int n);
+static void one_shift_left(int y, Bignum *z);
+static void short_shift_left(Bigit x, int y, Bignum *z);
+static void big_shift_left(Bignum *x, int y, Bignum *z);
+static int big_comp(Bignum *x, Bignum *y);
+static int sub_big(Bignum *x, Bignum *y, Bignum *z);
+static void add_big(Bignum *x, Bignum *y, Bignum *z);
+static int add_cmp(void);
+static int qr(void);
+
+/*static int _PyFloat_Digits(char *buf, double v, int *signum);*/
+/*static void _PyFloat_DigitsInit(void);*/
+
+#define ADD(x, y, z, k) {\
+   Bigit x_add, z_add;\
+   x_add = (x);\
+   if ((k))\
+     z_add = x_add + (y) + 1, (k) = (z_add <= x_add);\
+   else\
+     z_add = x_add + (y), (k) = (z_add < x_add);\
+   (z) = z_add;\
+}
+
+#define SUB(x, y, z, b) {\
+   Bigit x_sub, y_sub;\
+   x_sub = (x); y_sub = (y);\
+   if ((b))\
+     (z) = x_sub - y_sub - 1, b = (y_sub >= x_sub);\
+   else\
+     (z) = x_sub - y_sub, b = (y_sub > x_sub);\
+}
+
+#define MUL(x, y, z, k) {\
+   Bigit x_mul, low, high;\
+   x_mul = (x);\
+   low = (x_mul & 0xffffffff) * (y) + (k);\
+   high = (x_mul >> 32) * (y) + (low >> 32);\
+   (k) = high >> 32;\
+   (z) = (low & 0xffffffff) | (high << 32);\
+}
+
+#define SLL(x, y, z, k) {\
+   Bigit x_sll = (x);\
+   (z) = (x_sll << (y)) | (k);\
+   (k) = x_sll >> (64 - (y));\
+}
+
+static void
+mul10(Bignum *x)
+{
+   int i, l;
+   Bigit *p, k;
+
+   l = x->l;
+   for (i = l, p = &x->d[0], k = 0; i >= 0; i--)
+      MUL(*p, 10, *p++, k);
+   if (k != 0)
+      *p = k, x->l = l+1;
+}
+
+static void
+big_short_mul(Bignum *x, Bigit y, Bignum *z)
+{
+   int i, xl, zl;
+   Bigit *xp, *zp, k;
+   U32 high, low;
+
+   xl = x->l;
+   xp = &x->d[0];
+   zl = xl;
+   zp = &z->d[0];
+   high = y >> 32;
+   low = y & 0xffffffff;
+   for (i = xl, k = 0; i >= 0; i--, xp++, zp++) {
+      Bigit xlow, xhigh, z0, t, c, z1;
+      xlow = *xp & 0xffffffff;
+      xhigh = *xp >> 32;
+      z0 = (xlow * low) + k; /* Cout is (z0 < k) */
+      t = xhigh * low;
+      z1 = (xlow * high) + t;
+      c = (z1 < t);
+      t = z0 >> 32;
+      z1 += t;
+      c += (z1 < t);
+      *zp = (z1 << 32) | (z0 & 0xffffffff);
+      k = (xhigh * high) + (c << 32) + (z1 >> 32) + (z0 < k);
+   }
+   if (k != 0)
+      *zp = k, zl++;
+   z->l = zl;
+}
+
+/*
+static void
+print_big(Bignum *x)
+{
+   int i;
+   Bigit *p;
+
+   printf("#x");
+   i = x->l;
+   p = &x->d[i];
+   for (p = &x->d[i]; i >= 0; i--) {
+      Bigit b = *p--;
+      printf("%08x%08x", (int)(b >> 32), (int)(b & 0xffffffff));
+   }
+}
+*/
+
+static int
+estimate(int n)
+{
+   if (n < 0)
+      return (int)(n*0.3010299956639812);
+   else
+      return 1+(int)(n*0.3010299956639811);
+}
+
+static void
+one_shift_left(int y, Bignum *z)
+{
+   int n, m, i;
+   Bigit *zp;
+
+   n = y / 64;
+   m = y % 64;
+   zp = &z->d[0];
+   for (i = n; i > 0; i--) *zp++ = 0;
+   *zp = (Bigit)1 << m;
+   z->l = n;
+}
+
+static void
+short_shift_left(Bigit x, int y, Bignum *z)
+{
+   int n, m, i, zl;
+   Bigit *zp;
+   
+   n = y / 64;
+   m = y % 64;
+   zl = n;
+   zp = &(z->d[0]);
+   for (i = n; i > 0; i--) *zp++ = 0;
+   if (m == 0)
+      *zp = x;
+   else {
+      Bigit high = x >> (64 - m);
+      *zp = x << m;
+      if (high != 0)
+         *++zp = high, zl++;
+   }
+   z->l = zl;
+}
+
+static void
+big_shift_left(Bignum *x, int y, Bignum *z)
+{
+   int n, m, i, xl, zl;
+   Bigit *xp, *zp, k;
+   
+   n = y / 64;
+   m = y % 64;
+   xl = x->l;
+   xp = &(x->d[0]);
+   zl = xl + n;
+   zp = &(z->d[0]);
+   for (i = n; i > 0; i--) *zp++ = 0;
+   if (m == 0)
+      for (i = xl; i >= 0; i--) *zp++ = *xp++;
+   else {
+      for (i = xl, k = 0; i >= 0; i--)
+         SLL(*xp++, m, *zp++, k);
+      if (k != 0)
+         *zp = k, zl++;
+   }
+   z->l = zl;
+}
+
+
+static int
+big_comp(Bignum *x, Bignum *y)
+{
+   int i, xl, yl;
+   Bigit *xp, *yp;
+
+   xl = x->l;
+   yl = y->l;
+   if (xl > yl) return 1;
+   if (xl < yl) return -1;
+   xp = &x->d[xl];
+   yp = &y->d[xl];
+   for (i = xl; i >= 0; i--, xp--, yp--) {
+      Bigit a = *xp;
+      Bigit b = *yp;
+
+      if (a > b) return 1;
+      else if (a < b) return -1;
+   }
+   return 0;
+}
+
+static int
+sub_big(Bignum *x, Bignum *y, Bignum *z)
+{
+  int xl, yl, zl, b, i;
+  Bigit *xp, *yp, *zp;
+
+  xl = x->l;
+  yl = y->l;
+  if (yl > xl) return 1;
+  xp = &x->d[0];
+  yp = &y->d[0];
+  zp = &z->d[0];
+  
+  for (i = yl, b = 0; i >= 0; i--)
+    SUB(*xp++, *yp++, *zp++, b);
+  for (i = xl-yl; b && i > 0; i--) {
+    Bigit x_sub;
+    x_sub = *xp++;
+    *zp++ = x_sub - 1;
+    b = (x_sub == 0);
+  }
+  for (; i > 0; i--) *zp++ = *xp++;
+  if (b) return 1;
+  zl = xl;
+  while (*--zp == 0) zl--;
+  z->l = zl;
+  return 0;
+}
+
+static void
+add_big(Bignum *x, Bignum *y, Bignum *z)
+{
+  int xl, yl, k, i;
+  Bigit *xp, *yp, *zp;
+
+  xl = x->l;
+  yl = y->l;
+  if (yl > xl) {
+    int tl;
+    Bignum *tn;
+    tl = xl; xl = yl; yl = tl;
+    tn = x; x = y; y = tn;
+  }
+
+  xp = &x->d[0];
+  yp = &y->d[0];
+  zp = &z->d[0];
+  
+  for (i = yl, k = 0; i >= 0; i--)
+    ADD(*xp++, *yp++, *zp++, k);
+  for (i = xl-yl; k && i > 0; i--) {
+    Bigit z_add;
+    z_add = *xp++ + 1;
+    k = (z_add == 0);
+    *zp++ = z_add;
+  }
+  for (; i > 0; i--) *zp++ = *xp++;
+  if (k)
+    *zp = 1, z->l = xl+1;
+  else
+    z->l = xl;
+}
+
+static int
+add_cmp()
+{
+   int rl, ml, sl, suml;
+   static Bignum sum;
+
+   rl = R.l;
+   ml = (use_mp ? MP.l : MM.l);
+   sl = S.l;
+   
+   suml = rl >= ml ? rl : ml;
+   if ((sl > suml+1) || ((sl == suml+1) && (S.d[sl] > 1))) return -1;
+   if (sl < suml) return 1;
+
+   add_big(&R, (use_mp ? &MP : &MM), &sum);
+   return big_comp(&sum, &S);
+}
+
+static int
+qr()
+{
+  if (big_comp(&R, &S5) < 0)
+    if (big_comp(&R, &S2) < 0)
+      if (big_comp(&R, &S) < 0)
+        return 0;
+      else {
+        sub_big(&R, &S, &R);
+        return 1;
+      }
+    else if (big_comp(&R, &S3) < 0) {
+      sub_big(&R, &S2, &R);
+      return 2;
+    }
+    else if (big_comp(&R, &S4) < 0) {
+      sub_big(&R, &S3, &R);
+      return 3;
+    }
+    else {
+      sub_big(&R, &S4, &R);
+      return 4;
+    }
+  else if (big_comp(&R, &S7) < 0)
+    if (big_comp(&R, &S6) < 0) {
+      sub_big(&R, &S5, &R);
+      return 5;
+    }
+    else {
+      sub_big(&R, &S6, &R);
+      return 6;
+    }
+  else if (big_comp(&R, &S9) < 0)
+    if (big_comp(&R, &S8) < 0) {
+      sub_big(&R, &S7, &R);
+      return 7;
+    }
+    else {
+      sub_big(&R, &S8, &R);
+      return 8;
+    }
+  else {
+    sub_big(&R, &S9, &R);
+    return 9;
+  }
+}
+
+#define OUTDIG(d) { *buf++ = (d) + '0'; *buf = 0; return k; }
+
+int
+_PyFloat_Digits(char *buf, double v, int *signum)
+{
+   struct dblflt *x;
+   int sign, e, f_n, m_n, i, d, tc1, tc2;
+   Bigit f;
+
+   /* decompose float into sign, mantissa & exponent */
+   x = (struct dblflt *)&v;
+   sign = x->s;
+   e = x->e; 
+   f = (Bigit)(x->m1 << 16 | x->m2) << 32 | (U32)(x->m3 << 16 | x->m4);
+   if (e != 0) {
+      e = e - bias - bitstoright;
+      f |= (Bigit)hidden_bit << 32;
+   }
+   else if (f != 0)
+      /* denormalized */
+      e = 1 - bias - bitstoright;
+
+   *signum = sign;
+   if (f == 0) {
+     *buf++ = '0';
+     *buf = 0;
+     return 0;
+   }
+   
+   ruf = !(f & 1); /* ruf = (even? f) */
+
+   /* Compute the scaling factor estimate, k */
+   if (e > MIN_E)
+      k = estimate(e+52);
+   else {
+      int n;
+      Bigit y;
+      
+      for (n = e+52, y = (Bigit)1 << 52; f < y; n--) y >>= 1;
+      k = estimate(n);
+   }
+
+   if (e >= 0)
+      if (f != B_P1)
+         use_mp = 0, f_n = e+1, s_n = 1, m_n = e;
+      else
+         use_mp = 1, f_n = e+2, s_n = 2, m_n = e;
+   else
+      if ((e == MIN_E) || (f != B_P1))
+         use_mp = 0, f_n = 1, s_n = 1-e, m_n = 0;
+      else
+         use_mp = 1, f_n = 2, s_n = 2-e, m_n = 0;
+   
+   /* Scale it! */
+   if (k == 0) {
+      short_shift_left(f, f_n, &R);
+      one_shift_left(s_n, &S);
+      one_shift_left(m_n, &MM);
+      if (use_mp) one_shift_left(m_n+1, &MP);
+      qr_shift = 1;
+   }
+   else if (k > 0) {
+      s_n += k;
+      if (m_n >= s_n)
+         f_n -= s_n, m_n -= s_n, s_n = 0;
+      else 
+         f_n -= m_n, s_n -= m_n, m_n = 0;
+      short_shift_left(f, f_n, &R);
+      big_shift_left(&five[k-1], s_n, &S);
+      one_shift_left(m_n, &MM);
+      if (use_mp) one_shift_left(m_n+1, &MP);
+      qr_shift = 0;
+   }
+   else {
+      Bignum *power = &five[-k-1];
+
+      s_n += k;
+      big_short_mul(power, f, &S);
+      big_shift_left(&S, f_n, &R);
+      one_shift_left(s_n, &S);
+      big_shift_left(power, m_n, &MM);
+      if (use_mp) big_shift_left(power, m_n+1, &MP);
+      qr_shift = 1;
+   }
+
+   /* fixup */
+   if (add_cmp() <= -ruf) {
+     k--;
+     mul10(&R);
+     mul10(&MM);
+     if (use_mp) mul10(&MP);
+   }
+
+   /*
+   printf("\nk = %d\n", k);
+   printf("R = "); print_big(&R);
+   printf("\nS = "); print_big(&S);
+   printf("\nM- = "); print_big(&MM);
+   if (use_mp) printf("\nM+ = "), print_big(&MP);
+   putchar('\n');
+   fflush(0);
+   */
+   
+   if (qr_shift) {
+     sl = s_n / 64;
+     slr = s_n % 64;
+   }
+   else {
+     big_shift_left(&S, 1, &S2);
+     add_big(&S2, &S, &S3);
+     big_shift_left(&S2, 1, &S4);
+     add_big(&S4, &S, &S5);
+     add_big(&S4, &S2, &S6);
+     add_big(&S4, &S3, &S7);
+     big_shift_left(&S4, 1, &S8);
+     add_big(&S8, &S, &S9);
+   }
+
+again:
+   if (qr_shift) { /* Take advantage of the fact that S = (ash 1 s_n) */
+      if (R.l < sl)
+         d = 0;
+      else if (R.l == sl) {
+            Bigit *p;
+
+            p = &R.d[sl];
+            d = *p >> slr;
+            *p &= ((Bigit)1 << slr) - 1;
+            for (i = sl; (i > 0) && (*p == 0); i--) p--;
+            R.l = i;
+         }
+      else {
+         Bigit *p;
+         
+         p = &R.d[sl+1];
+         d = *p << (64 - slr) | *(p-1) >> slr;
+         p--;
+         *p &= ((Bigit)1 << slr) - 1;
+         for (i = sl; (i > 0) && (*p == 0); i--) p--;
+         R.l = i;
+      }
+   }
+   else /* We need to do quotient-remainder */
+     d = qr();
+
+   tc1 = big_comp(&R, &MM) < ruf;
+   tc2 = add_cmp() > -ruf;
+   if (!tc1)
+      if (!tc2) {
+         mul10(&R);
+         mul10(&MM);
+         if (use_mp) mul10(&MP);
+         *buf++ = d + '0';
+         goto again;
+      }
+      else
+        OUTDIG(d+1)
+   else
+      if (!tc2)
+         OUTDIG(d)
+      else {
+         big_shift_left(&R, 1, &MM);
+         if (big_comp(&MM, &S) == -1)
+            OUTDIG(d)
+         else
+            OUTDIG(d+1)
+      }
+}
+
+void
+_PyFloat_DigitsInit()
+{
+   int n, i, l;
+   Bignum *b;
+   Bigit *xp, *zp, k;
+
+   five[0].l = l = 0;
+   five[0].d[0] = 5;
+   for (n = MAX_FIVE-1, b = &five[0]; n > 0; n--) {
+      xp = &b->d[0];
+      b++;
+      zp = &b->d[0];
+      for (i = l, k = 0; i >= 0; i--)
+         MUL(*xp++, 5, *zp++, k);
+      if (k != 0)
+         *zp = k, l++;
+      b->l = l;
+   }
+
+   /*
+   for (n = 1, b = &five[0]; n <= MAX_FIVE; n++) {
+      big_shift_left(b++, n, &R);
+      print_big(&R);
+      putchar('\n');
+   }
+   fflush(0);
+   */
+}
diff --git a/Objects/floatobject.c b/Objects/floatobject.c
index c76956a..e92dab9 100644
--- a/Objects/floatobject.c
+++ b/Objects/floatobject.c
@@ -306,6 +306,107 @@
 	format_float(buf, 100, v, precision);
 }
 
+/* The following function is based on Tcl_PrintDouble,
+ * from tclUtil.c.
+ */
+
+#define is_infinite(d)	( (d) > DBL_MAX || (d) < -DBL_MAX )
+#define is_nan(d)		((d) != (d))
+
+static void
+format_double_repr(char *dst, double value)
+{
+    char *p, c;
+    int exp;
+    int signum;
+    char buffer[30];
+
+	/*
+	 * Handle NaN.
+	 */
+
+	if (is_nan(value)) {
+	    strcpy(dst, "nan");
+	    return;
+	}
+
+	/*
+	 * Handle infinities.
+	 */
+
+	if (is_infinite(value)) {
+	    if (value < 0) {
+		strcpy(dst, "-inf");
+	    } else {
+		strcpy(dst, "inf");
+	    }
+	    return;
+	}
+
+	/*
+	 * Ordinary (normal and denormal) values.
+	 */
+
+	exp = _PyFloat_Digits(buffer, value, &signum)+1;
+	if (signum) {
+	    *dst++ = '-';
+	}
+	p = buffer;
+	if (exp < -3 || exp > 17) {
+	    /*
+	     * E format for numbers < 1e-3 or >= 1e17.
+	     */
+
+	    *dst++ = *p++;
+	    c = *p;
+	    if (c != '\0') {
+		*dst++ = '.';
+		while (c != '\0') {
+		    *dst++ = c;
+		    c = *++p;
+		}
+	    }
+	    sprintf(dst, "e%+d", exp-1);
+	} else {
+	    /*
+	     * F format for others.
+	     */
+
+	    if (exp <= 0) {
+		*dst++ = '0';
+	    }
+	    c = *p;
+	    while (exp-- > 0) {
+		if (c != '\0') {
+		    *dst++ = c;
+		    c = *++p;
+		} else {
+		    *dst++ = '0';
+		}
+	    }
+	    *dst++ = '.';
+	    if (c == '\0') {
+		*dst++ = '0';
+	    } else {
+		while (++exp < 0) {
+		    *dst++ = '0';
+		}
+		while (c != '\0') {
+		    *dst++ = c;
+		    c = *++p;
+		}
+	    }
+	    *dst++ = '\0';
+	}
+}
+
+static void
+format_float_repr(char *buf, PyFloatObject *v)
+{
+	assert(PyFloat_Check(v));
+	format_double_repr(buf, PyFloat_AS_DOUBLE(v));
+}
+
 /* Macro and helper that convert PyObject obj to a C double and store
    the value in dbl; this replaces the functionality of the coercion
    slot function.  If conversion to double raises an exception, obj is
@@ -390,8 +491,8 @@
 static PyObject *
 float_repr(PyFloatObject *v)
 {
-	char buf[100];
-	format_float(buf, sizeof(buf), v, PREC_REPR);
+	char buf[30];
+	format_float_repr(buf, v);
 	return PyString_FromString(buf);
 }
 
@@ -1290,6 +1391,9 @@
 
 	double_format = detected_double_format;
 	float_format = detected_float_format;
+	
+	/* Initialize floating point repr */
+	_PyFloat_DigitsInit();
 }
 
 void