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From: dewar@merv.cs.nyu.edu (Robert Dewar)
Subject: Re: Portability of Arithmetic (was: Java vs Ada 95)
Date: 1996/10/17
Date: 1996-10-17T00:00:00+00:00	[thread overview]
Message-ID: <dewar.845591699@merv> (raw)
In-Reply-To: DzFB5z.D6A@world.std.com


Bob Duff says

'True, but it's easy to do it wrong, and have it work just fine, and then
find that it doesn't work when you port the code.  Do all Ada
programmers understand that the above has to be written as you show
above?  I suspect not.  But I suspect all Java programmers understand
what the range of int is, and when arithmetic is supposed to work."


Harrumph! Arguing that Java programmers know Java and Ada programmers
do not know Ada seems to be getting rather thin don't you think?

One very important distinction is the following. In either language
you can write code where intermediate results are out of range of
the type.

In both languages, such code may or may not work.

In Java, if it does not work, the program execution is (in Ada-ese)
erroneous, and who knows what values you get.

In Ada, if it does not work, you will get a runtime exception.

Arguing that Java arithmetic is more portable seems completely
specious to me. The type:

   type int is range -2**31 .. +2**31-1;

is almost exactly equivalent to the Java type int. Why only "almost", well
to make it exatly equivalent, I have to do

   pragma Suppress (Overflow_Check, int);

Now it is true that Java guarantees the presence of 64-bit signed
binary arithmetic, and Ada does not. However, in my experience, by
far the most common need for such high precision arithmetic is
in connection with fiscal applications, and here Ada's Decimal
type is much more attractive than the use of manually scaled int
values.





  reply	other threads:[~1996-10-17  0:00 UTC|newest]

Thread overview: 250+ messages / expand[flat|nested]  mbox.gz  Atom feed  top
1996-10-08  0:00 Once again, Ada absent from DoD SBIR solicitation Gregory Aharonian
1996-10-08  0:00 ` Gandalf
1996-10-09  0:00 ` Bill Nielsen
1996-10-09  0:00   ` Stanley R. Allen
1996-10-09  0:00     ` C++ Standardization (was: Once again, Ada absent from DoD SBIR solicitation) David Shochat
1996-10-10  0:00       ` Robert Dewar
1996-10-10  0:00         ` David Shochat
1996-10-20  0:00           ` Richard Riehle
1996-10-20  0:00             ` nasser
1996-10-21  0:00               ` Shayne Flint
1996-10-21  0:00                 ` Robert A Duff
1996-10-21  0:00                   ` Robert Dewar
1996-10-22  0:00                   ` Shayne Flint
1996-10-22  0:00                     ` Robert A Duff
1996-10-22  0:00                   ` Ken Garlington
1996-10-22  0:00               ` Rush Kester
1996-10-11  0:00         ` Ed Falis
1996-10-11  0:00           ` Robert Dewar
1996-10-12  0:00             ` Kevin D. Heatwole
1996-10-12  0:00               ` Robert Dewar
1996-10-13  0:00                 ` Larry Kilgallen
1996-10-13  0:00             ` Ed Falis
1996-10-11  0:00       ` Dave Wood
1996-10-11  0:00         ` Dave Wood
1996-10-17  0:00         ` Garbage Collection in Ada Thomas Kendelbacher
1996-10-10  0:00     ` Once again, Ada absent from DoD SBIR solicitation Mitch Gart
1996-10-10  0:00       ` Java vs Ada 95 (Was Re: Once again, Ada absent from DoD SBIR solicitation) Brian Rogoff
1996-10-10  0:00         ` Dave
1996-10-11  0:00           ` Tucker Taft
1996-10-14  0:00             ` Brian Rogoff
1996-10-15  0:00               ` Mitch Gart
1996-10-15  0:00                 ` Larry Kilgallen
1996-10-15  0:00                   ` Mark A Biggar
1996-10-16  0:00                 ` Brian Rogoff
1996-10-28  0:00                 ` Kenneth Almquist
1996-10-29  0:00                   ` Invoking parental methods (was: Java vs Ada 95) Larry Kilgallen
1996-10-31  0:00                     ` Kenneth Almquist
1996-10-31  0:00                       ` Larry Kilgallen
1996-11-05  0:00                         ` Mitch Gart
1996-11-05  0:00                           ` Tucker Taft
1996-11-05  0:00                             ` Larry Kilgallen
1996-11-06  0:00                               ` Robert A Duff
1996-11-06  0:00                                 ` Larry Kilgallen
1996-11-06  0:00                             ` Mitch Gart
1996-11-06  0:00                             ` Robert I. Eachus
1996-11-07  0:00                               ` David Wheeler
1996-11-08  0:00                             ` Jon S Anthony
1996-11-08  0:00                             ` Robert I. Eachus
1996-11-05  0:00                           ` Larry Kilgallen
1996-11-09  0:00                             ` Joel VanLaven
1996-10-15  0:00               ` Java vs Ada 95 (Was Re: Once again, Ada absent from DoD SBIR solicitation) Mike Stark
1996-10-15  0:00                 ` Robert Dewar
1996-10-16  0:00                   ` Mike Stark
1996-10-17  0:00                     ` Robert A Duff
1996-10-17  0:00                 ` Why no Propagates? Matthew Heaney
1996-10-18  0:00                   ` Robert A Duff
1996-10-18  0:00                   ` Robert Dewar
1996-10-18  0:00                   ` Norman H. Cohen
1996-10-18  0:00                     ` Robert Dewar
1996-10-15  0:00               ` Java vs Ada 95 (Was Re: Once again, Ada absent from DoD SBIR solicitation) Robert A Duff
1996-10-15  0:00                 ` Robert Dewar
1996-10-15  0:00                 ` Portability of Arithmetic (was: Java vs Ada 95) Larry Kilgallen
1996-10-16  0:00                   ` Robert A Duff
1996-10-16  0:00                     ` Robert Dewar
1996-10-17  0:00                       ` Robert A Duff
1996-10-17  0:00                         ` Robert Dewar [this message]
1996-10-18  0:00                           ` Larry Kilgallen
1996-10-18  0:00                             ` Robert A Duff
1996-10-18  0:00                           ` Norman H. Cohen
1996-10-18  0:00                             ` Robert Dewar
1996-10-18  0:00                               ` Brian R. Hanson
1996-10-19  0:00                                 ` Robert Dewar
1996-10-19  0:00                                   ` Larry Kilgallen
1996-10-22  0:00                                     ` Once again, Ada absent from DoD SBIR solicitation Dale Stanbrough
1996-10-27  0:00                                       ` Robert Dewar
1996-10-21  0:00                                   ` Portability of Arithmetic (was: Java vs Ada 95) Norman H. Cohen
1996-10-21  0:00                                     ` Robert Dewar
1996-10-21  0:00                               ` Norman H. Cohen
1996-10-21  0:00                                 ` Robert Dewar
1996-10-22  0:00                                   ` Larry Kilgallen
1996-10-23  0:00                                     ` Robert Dewar
1996-10-23  0:00                                       ` Larry Kilgallen
1996-10-23  0:00                                   ` Norman H. Cohen
1996-10-21  0:00                               ` Lance Kibblewhite
1996-10-17  0:00                         ` Larry Kilgallen
1996-10-18  0:00                           ` Robert A Duff
1996-10-17  0:00                     ` Stephen Leake
1996-10-17  0:00                       ` Robert A Duff
1996-10-17  0:00                         ` Robert Dewar
1996-10-17  0:00                         ` Larry Kilgallen
1996-10-18  0:00                           ` Robert A Duff
1996-10-17  0:00                 ` Java vs Ada 95 (Was Re: Once again, Ada absent from DoD SBIR solicitation) Alan Brain
1996-10-17  0:00                   ` Robert Dewar
1996-10-17  0:00                   ` Robert A Duff
1996-10-18  0:00                   ` Keith Thompson
1996-10-20  0:00                     ` Alan Brain
1996-10-24  0:00                 ` Robert I. Eachus
1996-10-16  0:00             ` Brian Rogoff
1996-10-16  0:00             ` Jon S Anthony
1996-10-16  0:00             ` Brian Rogoff
1996-10-16  0:00               ` Robert Dewar
1996-10-17  0:00                 ` Robert A Duff
1996-10-17  0:00                   ` Robert Dewar
1996-11-22  0:00                 ` Van Snyder
1996-11-25  0:00                   ` Java vs Ada vs Inferno, floating point arithmetic Anssi Porttikivi
1996-10-11  0:00           ` Java vs Ada 95 (Was Re: Once again, Ada absent from DoD SBIR solicitation) Stephen Leake
1996-10-11  0:00             ` Dave
1996-10-11  0:00               ` Robert Dewar
1996-10-12  0:00                 ` Dave
1996-10-12  0:00                   ` Robert Dewar
1996-10-14  0:00                   ` Keith Thompson
1996-10-11  0:00           ` Robert Dewar
1996-10-12  0:00             ` davedave
1996-10-12  0:00               ` Robert Dewar
1996-10-13  0:00               ` Larry Kilgallen
1996-10-18  0:00           ` Why no Propagates? Michel Gauthier
1996-10-22  0:00             ` Richard A. O'Keefe
1996-10-23  0:00           ` Michel Gauthier
1996-10-11  0:00         ` Java vs Ada 95 (Was Re: Once again, Ada absent from DoD SBIR solicitation) Mitch Gart
1996-10-11  0:00       ` Jon S Anthony
1996-10-12  0:00         ` Robert Dewar
1996-10-14  0:00           ` Mitch Gart
1996-10-14  0:00           ` Brian R. Hanson
1996-10-14  0:00         ` Keith Thompson
1996-10-15  0:00           ` Dale Stanbrough
1996-10-15  0:00             ` Brian R. Hanson
1996-10-20  0:00           ` nasser
1996-10-11  0:00       ` Jon S Anthony
1996-10-12  0:00       ` davedave
1996-10-12  0:00         ` Robert Dewar
1996-10-16  0:00           ` Jon S Anthony
1996-10-16  0:00           ` Jon S Anthony
1996-10-14  0:00       ` Jon S Anthony
1996-10-14  0:00       ` Jon S Anthony
1996-10-14  0:00       ` Jon S Anthony
1996-10-14  0:00         ` Robert Dewar
1996-10-15  0:00           ` Robert A Duff
1996-10-15  0:00             ` Larry Kilgallen
1996-10-16  0:00               ` Lars Farm
1996-10-16  0:00                 ` Robert Dewar
1996-10-17  0:00           ` Why no Free? Matthew Heaney
1996-10-18  0:00             ` John Herro
1996-10-19  0:00               ` John Herro
1996-10-18  0:00             ` Robert A Duff
1996-10-18  0:00             ` Robert Dewar
1996-10-14  0:00       ` Java vs Ada 95 (Was Re: Once again, Ada absent from DoD SBIR solicitation) Brian Rogoff
1996-10-14  0:00       ` Jon S Anthony
1996-10-15  0:00       ` Robert I. Eachus
1996-10-15  0:00       ` Brian Rogoff
1996-10-15  0:00       ` Robert I. Eachus
1996-10-15  0:00         ` Robert Dewar
1996-10-16  0:00       ` Jon S Anthony
1996-10-16  0:00       ` Samuel T. Harris
1996-10-16  0:00       ` Jon S Anthony
1996-10-18  0:00         ` Keith Thompson
1996-10-16  0:00       ` Jon S Anthony
1996-10-17  0:00         ` Robert Dewar
1996-10-17  0:00         ` Robert Dewar
1996-10-16  0:00       ` Jon S Anthony
1996-10-16  0:00       ` Jon S Anthony
1996-10-18  0:00       ` Jon S Anthony
1996-10-18  0:00       ` Jon S Anthony
1996-10-18  0:00       ` Jon S Anthony
1996-10-29  0:00       ` Jon S Anthony
1996-10-29  0:00       ` Robert I. Eachus
1996-10-29  0:00       ` Kenneth Almquist
1996-10-29  0:00         ` Robert Dewar
1996-10-31  0:00           ` Kenneth Almquist
1996-10-30  0:00       ` Stephen Leake
1996-10-31  0:00         ` Lars Farm
1996-10-31  0:00       ` Jon S Anthony
1996-10-31  0:00       ` Kenneth Almquist
1996-11-01  0:00       ` Robert I. Eachus
1996-11-01  0:00         ` Robert A Duff
     [not found]           ` <55gkch$gg6@fozzie.sun3.iaf.nl>
1996-11-03  0:00             ` Robert A Duff
1996-11-03  0:00               ` Robert Dewar
1996-11-04  0:00                 ` Larry Kilgallen
1996-11-04  0:00                   ` Robert Dewar
1996-11-05  0:00                 ` Fast locking (Was Re: Java vs Ada 95) Geert Bosch
1996-11-06  0:00                   ` Larry Kilgallen
1996-11-06  0:00                     ` Geert Bosch
1996-11-07  0:00                       ` Larry Kilgallen
1996-11-07  0:00                         ` Robert Dewar
1996-11-11  0:00                           ` Norman H. Cohen
1996-11-08  0:00                         ` Geert Bosch
1996-11-06  0:00                     ` Robert Dewar
1996-11-02  0:00         ` Java vs Ada 95 (Was Re: Once again, Ada absent from DoD SBIR solicitation) Robert Dewar
1996-11-04  0:00         ` Robert I. Eachus
1996-11-05  0:00           ` Larry Kilgallen
1996-11-14  0:00           ` Robert Dewar
1996-11-16  0:00             ` Robert A Duff
1996-11-16  0:00               ` Robert Dewar
1996-11-17  0:00                 ` Unbounded strings (Was: Java vs Ada 95 (Was Re: Once again, Ada absent from DoD SBIR solicitation)) Robert A Duff
1996-11-18  0:00                   ` Robert Dewar
1996-11-19  0:00                     ` Robert A Duff
1996-11-23  0:00                       ` Robert Dewar
1996-11-24  0:00                         ` Robert A Duff
1996-11-25  0:00                         ` Norman H. Cohen
1996-11-27  0:00                           ` Robert Dewar
1996-11-19  0:00                     ` Joel VanLaven
1996-11-23  0:00                       ` Robert Dewar
1996-11-21  0:00                   ` Robert I. Eachus
1996-11-24  0:00                     ` Robert Dewar
1996-11-24  0:00                       ` Fergus Henderson
1996-11-24  0:00                         ` Robert Dewar
1996-11-25  0:00                       ` Kevin D. Heatwole
1996-11-25  0:00                         ` Robert A Duff
1996-11-26  0:00                           ` Kevin D. Heatwole
1996-11-26  0:00                             ` Robert A Duff
1996-11-26  0:00                               ` Larry Kilgallen
1996-11-27  0:00                               ` Robert Dewar
1996-11-27  0:00                               ` Norman H. Cohen
1996-11-29  0:00                                 ` Robert A Duff
1996-11-29  0:00                                 ` Fergus Henderson
1996-11-26  0:00                         ` Geert Bosch
1996-11-26  0:00                           ` Robert Dewar
1996-11-25  0:00                   ` Robert I. Eachus
1996-11-20  0:00                 ` Jon S Anthony
1996-11-24  0:00                   ` Robert Dewar
1996-11-16  0:00             ` Java vs Ada 95 (Was Re: Once again, Ada absent from DoD SBIR solicitation) Geert Bosch
1996-11-17  0:00               ` Robert Dewar
1996-11-17  0:00                 ` Robert A Duff
1996-11-18  0:00                   ` Robert Dewar
1996-11-19  0:00                     ` Robert A Duff
1996-11-18  0:00                 ` Norman H. Cohen
1996-11-18  0:00                 ` Geert Bosch
1996-11-22  0:00                   ` Robert Dewar
1996-11-06  0:00         ` Robert I. Eachus
1996-10-10  0:00     ` Once again, Ada absent from DoD SBIR solicitation Mike Stark
1996-10-10  0:00       ` Stanley R. Allen
1996-10-11  0:00         ` Mitch Gart
1996-10-11  0:00           ` Ken Garlington
1996-10-11  0:00           ` Robert Dewar
1996-10-14  0:00             ` Mitch Gart
1996-10-14  0:00               ` Ken Garlington
1996-10-14  0:00           ` Norman H. Cohen
1996-10-14  0:00             ` Bevin R. Brett
1996-10-11  0:00     ` Ada and the DoD HLA (was: Once again, Ada absent from DoD SBIR solicitation) John Cosby
1996-10-13  0:00     ` Java vs Ada 95 (Was " Hannes Haug
1996-11-03  0:00     ` Hannes Haug
1996-11-06  0:00     ` Fast locking (Was Re: Java vs Ada 95) Hannes Haug
1996-11-06  0:00     ` Hannes Haug
1996-10-11  0:00   ` Once again, Ada absent from DoD SBIR solicitation Matthew M. Lih
1996-10-18  0:00     ` Rush Kester
1996-10-21  0:00   ` C++ Standardization (was: Once again, Ada absent from DoD SBIR solicitation) David Emery
1996-10-10  0:00 ` Jon S Anthony
1996-10-11  0:00 ` Jon S Anthony
1996-10-22  0:00 ` Tarjei Jensen
1996-10-22  0:00   ` C++ Standardization (was: Once again, Ian Ward
1996-11-01  0:00 ` Java vs Ada 95 (Was Re: Once again, Ada absent from DoD SBIR solicitation) Jon S Anthony
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