RE: Math Libraries (was Re: Ada2005)

["Robert C. Leif, Ph.D." <rleif@rleif.com>]

From: Bob Leif
To: Marin Condic et al.,
I agree; however, I believe that a decimal floating type should be created
or a work-around be provided to circumvent the static restrictions on type
decimal. I still wish to be able to specify the exponent at run-time.
PC performance has long since passed the point of needing to match the
numeric format to the machine instead of the human. For most commercial
uses, decimal numbers are a much better choice than binary numbers.

I might note than even in the computer aided design of mechanical systems,
decimal would be a better choice. I see errors in VISIO where a specified
one or two digit number, which ends in three zeros, becomes filled with
numeric characters. These numbers are sufficiently close to the value that
they do not materially change it. However, the provide absolutely bizarre
dimensions on a drawing and are a distraction.

-----Original Message-----
From: comp.lang.ada-admin@ada.eu.org
[mailto:comp.lang.ada-admin@ada.eu.org]On Behalf Of Marin David Condic
Sent: Thursday, December 20, 2001 8:35 AM
To: comp.lang.ada@ada.eu.org
Subject: Math Libraries (was Re: Ada2005)


We have in Ada a useful package: Ada.Numerics.Generic_Elementary_Functions
that works fine for floating point types.

Is there any reason not to include in Ada200x similar packages for generic
fixed and decimal types? It seems we ought to be able to compute logarithms,
square roots, etc. for numeric types other than floating point types, eh?

Would there be any reason not to expand the math functions beyond what is
already there? Math is pretty cheap to implement when compared to some of
the other suggested extensions to the language and it would definitely be
attractive to a given audience that might currently still be relying on
Fortran. (See also the discussion elsewhere about standard libraries...)

What math functions (or math branches) would be most desirable to add to the
language by way of some packages under Ada.Numerics?

MDC
--
Marin David Condic
Senior Software Engineer
Pace Micro Technology Americas    www.pacemicro.com
Enabling the digital revolution
e-Mail:    marin.condic@pacemicro.com
Web:      http://www.mcondic.com/