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From: dewar@merv.cs.nyu.edu (Robert Dewar)
Subject: Re: Portability of Arithmetic (was: Java vs Ada 95)
Date: 1996/10/19
Date: 1996-10-19T00:00:00+00:00	[thread overview]
Message-ID: <dewar.845733987@merv> (raw)
In-Reply-To: 3268573F.41C6@cray.com


Brian, speaking from the high end at cray.com, notes that 64-bit
integers are definitely of use in high end applications.

I certainly don't disagree with that, and that is why ALL versions of
GNAT on ALL machines fully support at least 64-bit signed and unsigned
arithmetic.

I think it would be a GOOD THING if all Ada compilers (and all C compilers
for that matter) supported 64-bit integers.

The interesting thing is that obviously there has not been too much pressure
in the past for this, since almost all Ada 83 compilers and almost all C
and C++ compilers for 32-bit machines do NOT support 64-bit integers, even
though it is really pretty simple to do. So from that I conclude that at
least in the past it has not been a major requirement.

The reason that Ada, including Ada 95, was conservative in such requirements
at the language level was that there was concern that on small embedded
systems (e.g. the Patriot 2 implementation), it would be too much of a 
burden to make this a requirement.

Note that any full language implementation of Ada 95 (you already know my
definition of this term, it means that everything in the RM is implemented
including all the optional annexes), you do have 64-bit integer arithmetic
since you can say:

   type Big_Int is delta 1.0 digits 18;

and that maps typically into 64-bit binary arithmetic, or in any case is
presumably enough to provide for large file offsets. For the moment at
least files that are a million terrabytes long are presumably sufficient :-)

Note incidentally that this shows an interesting advantage of the optional
annexes. Here is a case where you can write an application that deals with
giant file offsets, and will still be portable to any full language
implementation of Ada 95 that includes the information systems annex.
Now you might have decided up front that you did not need this annex,
but it is often the case that facilities in one of the optional annexes
turn out to be helpful in all sorts of contexts. For example, you may
find the 'Body_Version attribute useful in tagging files to make sure
that they are read by an appropriate version of your software, evenb though
you have ZERO interest in distribution otherwise, or you may want to use
pragma Normalize_Scalars to help you track down bugs even if you are not
writing Safety-Critical software and do not need other features in the
safety and security annex. There are many other examples!

Of course in GNAT, you could simply use Long_Long_Integer, knowing that
it is at least 64-bits, but that might not be portable to another Ad 95
compiler, even one that did implement the full language, including all
the annexes.





  reply	other threads:[~1996-10-19  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           ` 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           ` 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                             ` Robert I. Eachus
1996-11-08  0:00                             ` Jon S Anthony
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) 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                         ` Larry Kilgallen
1996-10-18  0:00                           ` Robert A Duff
1996-10-17  0:00                         ` Robert Dewar
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 [this message]
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                               ` Lance Kibblewhite
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
1996-10-18  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 A Duff
1996-10-17  0:00                   ` Robert Dewar
1996-10-18  0:00                   ` Keith Thompson
1996-10-20  0:00                     ` Alan Brain
1996-10-24  0:00                 ` Robert I. Eachus
1996-10-15  0:00               ` 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                   ` Norman H. Cohen
1996-10-18  0:00                     ` Robert Dewar
1996-10-18  0:00                   ` Robert Dewar
1996-10-16  0:00             ` Java vs Ada 95 (Was Re: Once again, Ada absent from DoD SBIR solicitation) Jon S Anthony
1996-10-16  0:00             ` Brian Rogoff
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) 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
1996-10-11  0:00       ` Jon S Anthony
1996-10-12  0:00         ` Robert Dewar
1996-10-14  0:00           ` Brian R. Hanson
1996-10-14  0:00           ` Mitch Gart
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
1996-10-12  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       ` Brian Rogoff
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       ` 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             ` Robert Dewar
1996-10-18  0:00             ` Robert A Duff
1996-10-18  0:00             ` John Herro
1996-10-19  0:00               ` John Herro
1996-10-15  0:00       ` Java vs Ada 95 (Was Re: Once again, Ada absent from DoD SBIR solicitation) Robert I. Eachus
1996-10-15  0:00         ` Robert Dewar
1996-10-15  0:00       ` Robert I. Eachus
1996-10-15  0:00       ` Brian Rogoff
1996-10-16  0:00       ` Jon S Anthony
1996-10-16  0:00       ` Jon S Anthony
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
1996-10-18  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       ` Kenneth Almquist
1996-10-29  0:00         ` Robert Dewar
1996-10-31  0:00           ` Kenneth Almquist
1996-10-29  0:00       ` Robert I. Eachus
1996-10-29  0:00       ` Jon S Anthony
1996-10-30  0:00       ` Stephen Leake
1996-10-31  0:00         ` Lars Farm
1996-10-31  0:00       ` Kenneth Almquist
1996-10-31  0:00       ` Jon S Anthony
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                     ` Robert Dewar
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
1996-11-02  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                               ` Norman H. Cohen
1996-11-29  0:00                                 ` Robert A Duff
1996-11-29  0:00                                 ` Fergus Henderson
1996-11-27  0:00                               ` Robert Dewar
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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