Java floating point and StrictMath improvement?

[Andrew Dinn]

On 16/03/2022 09:56, Raffaello Giulietti wrote:
> "Computer scientists of the world, unite!
> 
> Let's get rid of binary floating-point arithmetic in Java, after 27 
> years of honorable service!
> 
> Let's adopt decimal floating-point arithmetic, where 1 / 3 + 1 / 3 is 
> still different from 2 / 3, but who cares? At least we have 0.1 * 0.1 = 
> 0.01, as Mathematics commands!"
> 
> 
> Just kidding...
> More seriously, let's stop this useless discussion.
Raffaello, the problem initially apparent here is that the person 
posting these rants is ignorant of some very straightforward knowledge 
about numbers and numeric representation, both mathematical and via 
fixed or floating point approximation. Surprising, perhaps in someone 
who claims to be a programmer, since it does not even require degree 
level study in mathematics to acquire such knowledge. A competent 
amateur or a degree student in a science or engineering field can easily 
learn what is at stake and note the misconceptions the rants are based on.

However,  on top of basic ignorance, it takes real wilfulness and 
stupidity -- not to mention a certain measure of narcissism -- for 
someone: to suggest that the various people, like yourself, who clearly 
do understand the relevant mathematical facts and have replied at length 
to explain those misconceptions, cannot know what they are talking 
about; and further to demand that some higher authority turn up as an 
act of duty, like a latter-day 8th cavalry, to sanction their incoherent 
proposals.

Best not to feed someone like this; trolls are greedy beasts and grow to 
disproportionate size the more you feed them.

regards,


Andrew Dinn
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