-----Original Message----- From: boost-bounces@lists.boost.org [mailto:boost-bounces@lists.boost.org] On Behalf Of Kevin Sopp Sent: 09 October 2008 03:34 To: boost@lists.boost.org Subject: Re: [boost] [mp_int] new release
How about unbounded_int? It fits nicely with the is_bounded in numeric_limits.
So are you proposing two names:
bounded_int - arbitrary but fixed (maximum?) size integer
unbounded_int - grows to accommodate a size (bounded only by machine memory).
My plan was to call a fixed precision integer fp_int. I think it's a good idea to keep the name short for such a basic arithmetic type. I can make it clearer in the introduction that mp_int stands for multiple precision integer which grows dynamically in size / has unbounded precision. I really like the name mp_int, I would accept ap_int though.
I really, really don't like any of these names :-( fp_int sounds something to do with Floating Point (nonsense of course ;-) mp_int doesn't say anything obvious to me. Neither seem to me to meet Boost's preference for "Clarity before curtness". I think it must be really obvious if the type is bounded/fixed, or will grow. It's not for the writers - it's for the *readers* of programs who need to know immediately what sort of fancy integer beast is being used (without RTFM). Ideally, a Boost library should at least fix the naming for both types, and the structure too? Paul --- Paul A Bristow Prizet Farmhouse, Kendal, Cumbria UK LA8 8AB +44 1539561830 & SMS, Mobile +44 7714 330204 & SMS pbristow@hetp.u-net.com