Re: Overlay allowability

[Tucker Taft <stt@averstar.com>]

Keith Thompson wrote:
> 
> Tucker Taft <stt@averstar.com> writes:
> > "Marc A. Criley" wrote:
> [...]
> > >   N : Natural;
> ...
> > N'Size is probably going to be 31 on your typical 32-bit computer.
> 
> Actually, I think N'Size is more likely to be 32, though Natural'Size
> is likely to be 31.  A standalone object (like N in the example) is
> almost certain to occupy a whole number of storage units, and to be
> aligned on a storage-unit boundary.

Right, I was confused.  Only a subtype or a component would typically end up
with a size like 31.  A stand-alone object would almost certainly end
up with an integral number of storage elements (except perhaps on a
bit-addressible machine like the old and bizarre Burroughs B-17 [I think
that was its number]).  Of course rounding up doesn't hurt... (trying
to salvage some amount of dignity here ;-).

> 
> --
> Keith Thompson (The_Other_Keith) kst@cts.com  <http://www.ghoti.net/~kst>
> San Diego Supercomputer Center           <*>  <http://www.sdsc.edu/~kst>
> Welcome to the last year of the 20th century.

-- 
-Tucker Taft   stt@averstar.com   http://www.averstar.com/~stt/
Technical Director, Commercial Division, AverStar (formerly Intermetrics)
(http://www.averstar.com/services/IT_consulting.html)  Burlington, MA  USA