From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.4 (2020-01-24) on polar.synack.me X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-1.9 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_00,FREEMAIL_FROM autolearn=ham autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit X-Google-Thread: 103376,fd63afa4dc364b7e X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public X-Google-ArrivalTime: 2001-03-29 02:13:17 PST Path: supernews.google.com!sn-xit-02!supernews.com!news.gv.tsc.tdk.com!falcon.america.net!sunqbc.risq.qc.ca!news-hog.berkeley.edu!ucberkeley!enews.sgi.com!news.xtra.co.nz!not-for-mail From: "AG" Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada References: <98m938$2iod0$1@ID-25716.news.dfncis.de><98pgs1$32up7$1@ID-25716.news.dfncis.de><98umc6$39coj$1@ID-25716.news.dfncis.de> <4mzw6.414$OQ6.73321643@newssvr16.news.prodigy.com> <99ujqs$aai1@news.cis.okstate.edu> Subject: Re: Static typing (Was Re: Better support for garbage collection) X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.50.4133.2400 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4133.2400 Message-ID: Date: Thu, 29 Mar 2001 22:10:09 +1200 NNTP-Posting-Host: 210.54.101.241 X-Complaints-To: newsadmin@xtra.co.nz X-Trace: news.xtra.co.nz 985860635 210.54.101.241 (Thu, 29 Mar 2001 22:10:35 NZST) NNTP-Posting-Date: Thu, 29 Mar 2001 22:10:35 NZST Organization: Xtra Xref: supernews.google.com comp.lang.ada:6199 Date: 2001-03-29T22:10:09+12:00 List-Id: "David Starner" wrote in message news:99ujqs$aai1@news.cis.okstate.edu... <<>> > I think it's a little flaky to depend on dictionary definitions. But we do have to depend on *some* definitions, otherwise it's a bit hard to talk:) <<>> > >Not according to the dictionary definition of "integer". > > 1.0 is either zero or an integer (in this case 0) plus or minus one. Sorry, what? Either zero or an integer? So by what definition is zero no longer considered an integer? And is plus or minus one an integer or an entity on it's own? > So by the Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, it is an integer. Or maybe a zero? <<>> >Again, > I don't see how the dictionary says that 1.0 is not an integer, and > even if your's does, I don't see why that's definitive. Well, because the normal convention in writing values like that is that the actual value is within 1/2 (or 0.5 or "one half" or whatever) of the last digit quoted. So, 1.0 means anything betwen 0.95 and 1.05 which is hardly an integer number by any definition. Of course it's not exactly a floating point either but at least it says something about the expected precision/error etc whereas just 1 is much more likely to be (and be construed as) an integer.