Re: [boost] [Boost-users] Ann: Floating Point Utilities Review starts today
Johan Råde wrote:
This has been a very valuable review. I have received a lot of valuable feedback, many suggestions for how to improve the library, both interface, implementation and docs.
I'd just add a short postscript to this - although the review period is officially over - if there are any late reviews still to come please do still submit them! Regards, John Maddock Review Manager for floating point utilities.
On Thu, Feb 28, 2008 at 12:01 PM, John Maddock <john@johnmaddock.co.uk> wrote:
Johan Råde wrote:
This has been a very valuable review. I have received a lot of valuable feedback, many suggestions for how to improve the library, both interface, implementation and docs.
I'd just add a short postscript to this - although the review period is officially over - if there are any late reviews still to come please do still submit them!
Regards, John Maddock Review Manager for floating point utilities.
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This is a late review. * What is your evaluation of the design? Good. * What is your evaluation of the implementation? Good. * What is your evaluation of the documentation? Very good. * What is your evaluation of the potential usefulness of the library? I think it is useful. * Did you try to use the library? With what compiler? Did you have any problems? No. If I ever try to use the library, I would likely use use g++. * How much effort did you put into your evaluation? A glance? A quick reading? In-depth study? A glance. * Are you knowledgeable about the problem domain? I made my own implementation of similar functions using the ieee754.h glibc header file as a foundation. * Do you think the library should be accepted as a Boost library? Yes. I have just one quibble. I would substitute the word "mantissa" with "significand" in these files: boost/math/detail/fp_traits.hpp boost/math/fpclassify.hpp See my rationale here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Significand#Use_of_.22mantissa.22
"However, this use of mantissa is discouraged by the IEEE floating-point standard committee and by some professionals such as William Kahan and Donald Knuth, because it conflicts with the pre-existing usage of mantissa for the fractional part of a logarithm (see also common logarithm)."
Additionally, this Wikipedia page < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_754-1985> referenced in the documentation <libs/math/doc/fpclassify.htm> never mentions "mantissa" -- only "significand". Overall, the library seems good. Steve Ward
-----Original Message----- From: boost-bounces@lists.boost.org [mailto:boost-bounces@lists.boost.org] On Behalf Of Steve Ward Sent: 03 March 2008 06:18 To: boost@lists.boost.org Cc: boost-users@lists.boost.org Subject: Re: [boost] [Boost-users] Ann: Floating Point Utilities Reviewstarts today I have just one quibble. I would substitute the word "mantissa" with "significand" in these files: boost/math/detail/fp_traits.hpp boost/math/fpclassify.hpp
See my rationale here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Significand#Use_of_.22mantissa.22
"However, this use of mantissa is discouraged by the IEEE floating-point standard committee and by some professionals such as William Kahan and Donald Knuth, because it conflicts with the pre-existing usage of mantissa for the fractional part of a logarithm (see also common logarithm)."
Additionally, this Wikipedia page < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_754-1985> referenced in the documentation <libs/math/doc/fpclassify.htm> never mentions "mantissa" -- only "significand".
I strongly support this 'quibble' - I think it is quite important to be consistent about this and 'significand' is clearly the 'trendy' work, even though many people understand mantissa. The link above should be included in the docs to say why the significand' name is used. The time to make this change is before this source gets into general use - that is - now! Paul --- Paul A Bristow Prizet Farmhouse, Kendal, Cumbria UK LA8 8AB +44 1539561830 & SMS, Mobile +44 7714 330204 & SMS pbristow@hetp.u-net.com
participants (4)
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Johan Råde -
John Maddock -
Paul A Bristow -
Steve Ward