Lambda the Ultimate

inactiveTopic How Java's Floating Point Hurts Everyone Everywhere
started 1/21/2003; 5:57:07 AM - last post 1/31/2003; 3:47:43 AM
Noel Welsh - How Java's Floating Point Hurts Everyone Everywhere  blueArrow
1/21/2003; 5:57:07 AM (reads: 2202, responses: 7)
How Java's Floating Point Hurts Everyone Everywhere
An interesting document I saw mentioned on the OCaml mailing list. It talks (in great detail) about what is wrong with Java's floating point implementation, and floating point implementations in general. Suggests several additions to future languages that will overcome these deficiencies. A short taste can be got by reading The Numerical Analyst as Computer Scientist Curmudgeon.
Posted to implementation by Noel Welsh on 1/21/03; 5:57:19 AM

Ehud Lamm - Re: How Java's Floating Point Hurts Everyone Everywhere  blueArrow
1/21/2003; 6:17:47 AM (reads: 1042, responses: 0)
IBM developerWorks: Tricks and traps with floating point and decimal numbers (in Java).

Isaac Gouy - Re: How Java's Floating Point Hurts Everyone Everywhere  blueArrow
1/21/2003; 4:08:26 PM (reads: 927, responses: 0)
Seems I suffer under several of the misconceptions about Floating Point Arithmetic listed by Prof. W.Kahan. That was to be expected.

The big suprise was Microsoft compilers without support for IEEE 754 Double-Extended datatypes provided by Intel floating point co-processors! In my ignorance, I associate C with hardware access.

"Vendors prefer that software users accept aberrations due to roundoff as Acts of God instead of errors induced by historically accidental language defects."

Brent Fulgham - Re: How Java's Floating Point Hurts Everyone Everywhere  blueArrow
1/22/2003; 4:53:55 PM (reads: 816, responses: 0)
What a wonderful collection of essays! The discussion of the technical arms race during WW II was quite enjoyable reading.

I must admit to being shocked at the problems many currently-used languages exhibit in a numerical context.

Noel Welsh - Re: How Java's Floating Point Hurts Everyone Everywhere  blueArrow
1/23/2003; 2:23:59 AM (reads: 783, responses: 3)

I just read the article on WWII and it was very interesting. An interesting quote (for a UK resident, at least!) is:

After the war British military captains joined with Captains of Industry in taking too much personal credit for winning the war, and reverted to pre-war practices...Thus Britain list its hard-won technologcial superiority and has now become merely a quaint island destination for tourists.

Sadly there is much truth in it, though I think (hope) the stuffed shirts have less influence than they used to! British culture is interesting; one can still see the echos of the middle ages in people's attitudes, but I fear I'm wandering too far off-topic.

Ehud Lamm - Re: How Java's Floating Point Hurts Everyone Everywhere  blueArrow
1/23/2003; 3:22:16 AM (reads: 825, responses: 2)
Quite. Unless you want to discuss Middle English, My Fair Lady or some other linguistic angle...

Noel Welsh - Re: How Java's Floating Point Hurts Everyone Everywhere  blueArrow
1/31/2003; 2:23:10 AM (reads: 753, responses: 1)
In Hartford, Hereford and Hampshire, hurricanes hardly ever happen.

But, in 'oxton, 'ackney and 'arrow, haitches 'ardly ever 'appen.

(Ok, ok, I won't do it again!)

Ehud Lamm - Re: How Java's Floating Point Hurts Everyone Everywhere  blueArrow
1/31/2003; 3:47:43 AM (reads: 783, responses: 0)
Why not? I just love your accent...