Re: Bignum modular types in Ada95

["Nick Roberts" <Nick.Roberts@dial.pipex.com>]

Addendum

I have always assumed (perhaps wrongly!) that decimal types would be
implemented on many machines in BCD (packed ot not), in an arbitrary number
of multiple machine words (however many are required).  In these cases,
something like bignums are supported -- or easily supportable -- anyway.

On the other hand, one might argue that decimal types should be implemented
in the same way as fixed types, on the grounds that this implementation
will have been chosen for maximum performance (rather than flexibility, or
the requirements of the Information Systems special annex).

Perhaps a sensible compromise would be for compiler providers to adopt the
convention that fixed types are implemented to make the best out of the
underlying hardware, but decimal types are implemented for maximum
flexibility and consistency of operation?

Of course, that doesn't preclude the provision of built-in bignum
capability for fixed types: these would undoubtedly be most suitable for
the cryptographic calculations Markus was talking about.

[editor's note: slightly late night post after a whiskey :-]

-- 

Nick Roberts