Just briefly... I'd keep the base numbers simple while leaving the door open for optional, loadable packages to extend comparisons as necessary. IMO, matching the capabilities of C (integers, floating point) plus fractions should be sufficient for a base system. If not, there is the risk of creeping featurism. Not long ago, Ralph Johnson pointed out to a 1998 presentation by Guy L Steele regarding the design of the Java language, and GLS makes good points regarding the need to prevent the definition of a "language" or its "default shipping offer" from offering more than necessary.
My 2 cents... Andres. Igor Stasenko wrote: > 2009/8/13 <[email protected]>: > >> Em 12/08/2009 19:30, Igor Stasenko < [email protected] > escreveu: >> >> >>> 2009/8/12 Ken.Dickey : >>> >>>> "Schwab,Wilhelm K" >>>> >>>>> Floating point is not always what it seems. >>>>> >>>> Hence my comment that IEEE floats get "the wrong answer fast". I have used >>>> interval math, continued fractions, and linear fractional transforms >>>> (a.k.a. >>>> exact reals). I agree that each representation has its challenges. >>>> >>>> Let's talk for a second about integers. >>>> >>>> 0 = (0+0i) --> true >>>> 1 = (1+0i) --> true >>>> 0 < 1 --> true >>>> (0+0i) < (1+0i) --> ?? which answer here gives me the least surprise ?? >>>> >>>> To put it another way >>>> >>>> (A = a) --> true >>>> (B = b) --> true >>>> (A < B) --> true >>>> (a < b) --> ?? what do you expect to see here ?? >>>> >>>> >>> Let me extend your test a little >>> >>> i do expect that, if : >>> >>> a < b >>> >>> and >>> >>> 0 < x >>> >>> then >>> >>> a*x < b*x >>> >> Your "counter example" is mathematically flawed even in Real (non imaginary): >> >> let a = 1; b = 2 and x = -1: >> >> > do you intentionally missed the condition 0 < x? > > >> a < b and a*x > b*x >> >> So there isn't this kind of transitivity for inequality operators at all. >> >> [snipped] >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Pharo-project mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://lists.gforge.inria.fr/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/pharo-project >> >> > > > > _______________________________________________ Pharo-project mailing list [email protected] http://lists.gforge.inria.fr/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/pharo-project
