[DB-SIG] Re the addition of decimal numbers to python

[Bob Gailer]

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I too favor adding decimal numbers to Python.

In the older mainframe days the IBM 360 and following computers had an 
internal representation called packed decimal; storing 2 hex 
representations of decimal digits per byte; the rightmost byte conveyed the 
sign. The hardware included instructions for doing arithmetic on packed 
decimal, and the PL/I language provided high-level resources for declaring 
and manipulating decimal data. Since each digit was represented separately 
there was no issue of loss of precision of fractional data.

I have seen several articles discussing various ways of storing deciomal 
digits compactly.

But the bottom line is: decimal data can easily be represented as integer 
with precision.

As a further aside, at one APL conference there was a discussion about the 
value of complex numbers; one man said "I'm an accountant. We certainly can 
benefit from imaginary numbers."

Bob Gailer
mailto:ramrom@earthling.net
303 442 2625

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