Re: Macks - adding unit constants?

[Preben Randhol <randhol+valid_for_reply_from_news@pvv.org>]

On 2003-11-03, Jacob Sparre Andersen <sparre@crs4.it> wrote:
> Preben Randhol wrote:
>> On 2003-10-17, Jacob Sparre Andersen <sparre@crs4.it> wrote:
>
>>>It is very impractical to have to remember to write "0.000_86" and not 
>>>"0.86", when you put constants in your code.  I prefer to have to write 
>>>"0.000_86 * m" (or "0.86 * mm") so there is an explicit conversion from 
>>>nondimensional to dimensional units.  Since this preference is rather 
>>>strong, I have decided to use a hand-written units package for this project.
>> 
>> why not 8.6E-4 ?

As 0.000_86 etc.. where you can get the 0's wrong. :-)
>
> As opposed to what?  It still doesn't tell which units we are working
> in.  Dimensionless numbers should not be able to suddenly become
> dimensioned numbers without som kind of explicit conversion.

well you can write 

   8.6E-4 * m

Preben
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