Re: final message
- Posted by EUWX May 24, 2012
- 1491 views
I can imagine a future version of the language (5.0 maybe) where, with strict_math turned on, an exception is thrown when GCD(0, 0) is called so these errors are caught immediately in programs that need it.
Without getting into details, I get the impression that there are two or even three interpretations or answers to these particular derivatives of a divide by 0. Where there is no agreement of interpretation, or even to allow a minority interpretation, a greater use of flags in "settings" is desirable.
I am using generic syntax in the following:
set_number_system_to decimal_integer
set_number_system_to hex_integer
set_number_system_to decimal
Through our various programming methods we allow use of integers, decimals, and hex and binary. We need the variations badly so we create explicit ways of doing the above. Theoretically we could have system settings available to be used as defaults and changed during a program. For frequently used changes in the number system, it would become too cumbersome.
Coming back to jimcbrown's suggestion above, one cannot fail to see the logic of his practical solution, allowing the programmer to decide what interpretation he would like in his work. Sometimes a practical approach to a rather complex computing problem is the best approach.
