Re: TS 5.0 Numerical Precision?

["The Omega Man" <editorial@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

JimO wrote:

<<I can't imagine a simpler question than my original one regarding
precision; is it single or double?  I don't see what my question
has to do with web browsers, or much of anything except EL.>>


Jim, your original question was whether *TS 5.0* supported the option of
double precision.  To quote, your original question was:

"Can you tell us if TS 5.0 is limited to single-precision calculations, or
does it have the option of using double precision?"

So you did not ask about EL.  You asked about TS 5.  I was attempting to
answer your question regarding the data items that TS 5.0 can use.



Then you wrote:

<<I just want to know if the new version will fix one of the long-standing
limitations of the current versions, and allow us to write some types of
code that currently fail under the single-precision limit.  Is that a
"possibility the new architecture allows?">>


In my mind, the answer to this question is YES.  However, this would not be
done through EL (at least, I would not do it that way) since there is no way
to declare variable types in EL.

We also need to be careful here that we don't get into discussing a
distinction without a difference.  How many significant figures are in the
original data upon which you are basing your calculations?  Remember, we
cannot get more accuracy out than we put in.  We cannot use price data with
3-5 significant figures in a calculation and get a result with 12
significant figures!

One final note:  I am not here to defend Omega (except to the extent that
they are a producer and I defend all producers).  I am here to represent a
few ideas about what a good life involves.  To me, a good life is one spent
bending the tools nature provides into the form that makes one happy.  This
is done using one's mind - one's productive capacity.  So I find Mark
Brown's extortionist tactics, his laziness and non-productiveness,
repulsive.  But his actions would be repulsive even if their target were not
Omega - and I would fight against them just as vehemently regardless of
their target.  You need not question my every motive - my effort to answer
your original question was quite sincere.


Good trading,

The Omega Man



-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Osborn <jimo@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: omega-list@xxxxxxxxxx <omega-list@xxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Monday, September 21, 1998 9:48 PM
Subject: Re: TS 5.0 Numerical Precision?


"The Omega Man (TM)" <editorial@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes:
>I was just thinking that perhaps I could clarify my point about data item
>precision with an example.  Today, Omega announced that the new TS 5.0
would
>include web functionality.  Is that a surprise?  I mean, how many mouse
>clicks does it take to make a browser with VB?  Maybe 5 or 6?
>
>You can see why I said that your question about supporting double precision
>data items is not a simple one to answer thoroughly.
>
>You might also begin to glimpse the possibilities the new architecture
>allows...

I can't imagine a simpler question than my original one regarding
precision; is it single or double?  I don't see what my question
has to do with web browsers, or much of anything except EL.

I just want to know if the new version will fix one of the long-standing
limitations of the current versions, and allow us to write some
types of code that currently fail under the single-precision limit.
Is that a "possibility the new architecture allows?"

Do you have a copy of TS 5.0, Joe?  Can you report the result of
the simple numerical-precision test I posted earlier?

I'm sure lots of us would like to know.

Jim