From: Eero Saynatkari <ruby-ml@...>
Date: 2009-03-03T04:07:40+09:00
Subject: [ruby-core:22631] Re: suggestions for float

Excerpts from Kurt Stephens's message of Mon Mar 02 20:27:09 +0200 2009:
> The most user-friendly solution would be do it "right" without forcing
> the user to endure poor performance.  Making floating-point formatting
> invariant by default solves many problems, there is no reason to make it
> optional.
> 
> There is public-domain C code that formats floating-point values as the
> shortest string that parses back to the exact same value.  The only
> thing that needs to happen is to interface Ruby with that code.

I am personally concerned about formatting floats, but their
inherent imprecision. If the formatting issue can be resolved
in Floats without other regression, it should by all means be
done.

> If you make the assumption that Ruby programmers don't care about
> floating point I/O performance, you will quickly surprised. :)

I would certainly not assert that no programmers do, or that
there are no domains that require it, but I am fairly sure
that for most Rubyists float performance, I/O or otherwise,
is not a significant factor. Perhaps I am mistaken in that.


--
Magic is insufficiently advanced technology.