Re: BIGNUM memory and questions

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Moin,

On 27-Nov-01 Uri Guttman tried to scribble about:
>   T> Next question: Why BCD? Do you think this is better, or do you
>   T> know? (E.g.  why was that decision made. I am asking because there
>   T> are differences and I want to make sure that the decision is done
>   T> on research, not on "Uh, we thought it would be better" ;)
> 
> bcd is more accurate which is a prime reason. 

This is untrue. Neither binary nor BCD are more or less accurare. Otherwise
Math::BigInt lib => 'Pari' would not work 100% as Math::BigInt;

I guess we are talking about different things here!?

> it will allow for easier conversions to/from strings. 

This is true. But it will make for very slow multiplications and things
like 2 ** something. (I bet you know that ;)

> It shouldn't be much slower as bcd algorithms are done with word wide
> math. 

It will be _MUCH_ slower for some cases. Heh, want some benchmarks? ;)

> it is less dense but that is not a major disadvantage.

You are probably talking about memory consumption here? I agree, memory
shouldn't be the issue.

>   T> (Yes, I have thought about Math::BigInt::Cached, which would allow
>   T> a dual-usage if BCD and binary math at the same time. Currently I
>   T> have no time to finish it, that comes after v5.8.0)
>   >> this will allow for precise decimal math which is desired. 
>   T> This would be able with binary packages as well, as you can see by
> 
>   T>         use Math::BigInt lib => 'Pari';
>   T>         use Math::BigFloat;
> 
> those packages are so bad it is hard to believe. 

Thank you for bashing my work.

> i actually am looking at bigfloat internals now to find an odd bug for a
> poster on usenet. 

At which version are you looking? And what is the bug so that I can fix it?

> i wouldn't use that code for anything.

I really hope you are writing about the v0.01...

>   T> Math::BigInt and Math::BigFloat will work 100% as they do with a
>   T> decimal math package under the hood (which is the default).
> 
> they are in perl4. 

They are in Perl5 - not perl4. Please see http://bloodgate.com/perl or
http://search.cpan.org/ 

Please look up the newest version, it has come a long way...

> and poorly written and slow. 

I really hope you are not writing about my work. Otherwise I stop talking
right now and head back to the coding-board.

> not yet. that is part of what needs to be written. you obviously have
> not even looked at what i have so far.

See at bottom.

> and i have done a bcd math package before also. this is not new
> territory for me.

Okay.

[snip]
>   T> Hope we can talk soon, because I see lot's of wasted time and I
>   T> want to prevent this ;)
> then help out with code.

See below.
 
>   T> Anyway, don't take that personal!
> you seem to. instead of being such a naysayer and pushing perl based
> solutions etc. why don't you work on the code base i have started? 

Because I have my hands full of Math::BigInt - sorry, but I don't have time
for another project. Apart from that my C is rusty, I know next to nothing
of Parrot (last thing I remember was that it was an April's fool joke) and
besides, I like to know beforehand why and what I code. Me heading into your
project would be chaos.

And I don't push "perl-based" solutions. I am well aware that Perl is slow.
But it already has all the logic, tests, documentation and features that
one possible can want, so you could borrow something from it.

> everyone. and get the current tarball at stemsystems.com/bignum.tar.gz

Will check it out later.

Cheers,

Tels


- -- 
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