Re: [Maxima-discuss] float(exp(10000)) works, but float(exp(10000/3)) doesn't

[Raymond T. <toy...@gm...>]

>>>>> "Stavros" == Stavros Macrakis <(Σταῦρος Μακράκης)" <mac...@al...>> writes:

    Stavros> Extending float so that float(exp(10000)) returns a bfloat is cute, but I'm not convinced it is a
    Stavros> good idea.

    Stavros> Consider the following cases:

[snip examples]

    Stavros> So what exactly does float(...) mean? It no longer means
    Stavros> "the result as calculated in floating point arithmetic",
    Stavros> nor does it mean "the result as calculated with bfloat
    Stavros> arithmetic and thus bfloat accuracy".

This is why I was opposed to this change. It is no longer possible to
reason on what a program will do without knowing all the possible
values.

I lost that battle.

--
Ray