Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double)

From	glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu>
Newsgroups	comp.lang.c, comp.lang.c++
Subject	Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double)
Date	2012-02-15 00:22 +0000
Organization	Aioe.org NNTP Server
Message-ID	<jhetra$4b9$2@speranza.aioe.org> (permalink)
References	(1 earlier) <jhbunr$pi1$1@dont-email.me> <4F398003.7090306@verizon.net> <jhc1g6$afj$1@dont-email.me> <jheh5p$s7h$1@reader1.panix.com> <ln7gzphtpa.fsf@nuthaus.mib.org>

Cross-posted to 2 groups.

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In comp.lang.c++ Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> wrote:
> jgk@panix.com (Joe keane) writes:

>> [1] in general, people don't get mad if you give -more- precision than
>> that required, just supply a 'yes i'm a masochist' option

> People will sometimes get quite mad if you give them *inconsistent*
> precision.

Well, for the long story, when the 8087 was developed, the idea
was for an infinite register stack. When it was full, there
would be an interrupt, some would be spilled to memory, and
then continue on. The chip was designed and built before anyone
tried to write the software to do it, when it was found
not to be possible.

Why it wasn't fixed for the 80287 and 80837, I don't know.

That would, at least, have allowed for intermediate values
to always have extra precision. 

Now, when you add optimizations, such as common subexpression
elimination, and keep values in registers between statements,
then again you have inconsistent precision. The infinite
stack would have allowed for more consistency.

As an example of what is possible, without actually seeing
a compiler do it, if you:

  X=A*B+C*D;
  Y=A*B-C*D;

The compiler might keep C*D with extra precision, but not A*B.

Now, if A=C and B=D, Y should be zero but it isn't.

With an infinite stack, one might hope that the intermediates
for A*B and C*D had the same precision, extra or not.

-- glen

Thread

C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Alex Vinokur <alex.vinokur@gmail.com> - 2012-02-13 04:41 -0800
  Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Leigh Johnston <leigh@i42.co.uk> - 2012-02-13 12:49 +0000
    Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Alex Vinokur <alex.vinokur@gmail.com> - 2012-02-13 04:59 -0800
      Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Leigh Johnston <leigh@i42.co.uk> - 2012-02-13 13:07 +0000
  Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Goran <goran.pusic@gmail.com> - 2012-02-13 04:54 -0800
    Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Alex Vinokur <alex.vinokur@gmail.com> - 2012-02-13 05:00 -0800
    Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2012-02-13 13:27 +0000
    Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Goran <goran.pusic@gmail.com> - 2012-02-13 07:14 -0800
  Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Eric Sosman <esosman@ieee-dot-org.invalid> - 2012-02-13 08:14 -0500
    Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Eric Sosman <esosman@ieee-dot-org.invalid> - 2012-02-13 08:17 -0500
      Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2012-02-13 21:52 +0000
        Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2012-02-13 17:08 -0500
        Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Eric Sosman <esosman@ieee-dot-org.invalid> - 2012-02-13 20:44 -0500
  Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2012-02-13 13:16 +0000
    Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-13 11:18 -0700
      Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) "MikeWhy" <boat042-nospam@yahoo.com> - 2012-02-13 15:18 -0600
        Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2012-02-13 16:26 -0500
          Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) "MikeWhy" <boat042-nospam@yahoo.com> - 2012-02-13 16:05 -0600
            Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2012-02-13 17:13 -0500
              Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2012-02-13 23:35 +0000
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-13 17:25 -0700
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2012-02-14 01:45 +0000
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-13 18:55 -0700
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Miles Bader <miles@gnu.org> - 2012-02-14 11:51 +0900
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2012-02-14 03:13 +0000
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-13 20:39 -0700
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Miles Bader <miles@gnu.org> - 2012-02-14 13:25 +0900
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-13 23:22 -0700
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) "MikeWhy" <boat042-nospam@yahoo.com> - 2012-02-14 02:56 -0600
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-14 09:13 -0700
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) "MikeWhy" <boat042-nospam@yahoo.com> - 2012-02-14 11:16 -0600
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-14 12:27 -0700
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Eric Sosman <esosman@ieee-dot-org.invalid> - 2012-02-13 23:04 -0500
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Miles Bader <miles@gnu.org> - 2012-02-14 14:00 +0900
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2012-02-14 00:45 -0600
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2012-02-14 14:22 +0000
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2012-02-14 13:06 -0600
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-14 12:40 -0700
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2012-02-13 23:05 -0500
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Miles Bader <miles@gnu.org> - 2012-02-14 14:01 +0900
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2012-02-14 03:01 -0800
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Lowell Gilbert <lgusenet@be-well.ilk.org> - 2012-02-14 12:53 -0500
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2012-02-14 14:39 -0500
            Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) jgk@panix.com (Joe keane) - 2012-02-14 20:45 +0000
              Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2012-02-14 22:57 +0000
              Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2012-02-14 15:38 -0800
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2012-02-15 00:22 +0000
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2012-02-15 00:39 -0600
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2012-02-15 08:00 +0000
      Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2012-02-13 22:00 +0000
        Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-13 17:04 -0700
          Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2012-02-13 16:15 -0800
          Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2012-02-14 00:46 +0000
            Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-13 18:31 -0700
              Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-13 18:41 -0700
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2012-02-14 02:33 +0000
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-13 20:20 -0700
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2012-02-14 03:26 +0000
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-13 20:49 -0700
              Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2012-02-14 00:24 -0600
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-13 23:42 -0700
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2012-02-14 06:48 -0500
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2012-02-14 13:51 +0000
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-14 08:42 -0700
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2012-02-14 19:58 +0000
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2012-02-14 14:27 +0000
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-14 09:10 -0700
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2012-02-14 20:02 +0000
  Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Noob <root@127.0.0.1> - 2012-02-13 15:22 +0100
  Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) legalize+jeeves@mail.xmission.com (Richard) - 2012-02-13 18:49 +0000
    Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2012-02-13 13:55 -0500
      Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Juha Nieminen <nospam@thanks.invalid> - 2012-02-13 19:14 +0000
  Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Barry Schwarz <schwarzb@dqel.com> - 2012-02-13 12:14 -0800

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