Help catching floating point exceptions

Dick Dunn rcd at ico.isc.com
Fri Jun 7 10:40:34 AEST 1991


jsalter at ibmpa.awdpa.ibm.com responds to beddini at uxh.cso.uiuc.edu (Robert A
Beddini)...several exchanges with about the same tone, here's one:

Beddini:
> >We eventually purchased a 530 and are pleased with its speed on *PRODUCTION*
> >calculations. However it is still not being used for major code development,
> >and its use in this capacity will be limited until IBM recognizes the need
> >for user conveniences (necessities) such as FPP traps as a compiler
> >options/defaults.

Salter:
> We've recognized this need.  We recognized this before release, as noted
> above, but because of time-to-market pressures, ...[etc]...
[cites evidence in header files that they know there's a problem]

> The <fptrap.h> file proves we recognized the need a long time ago.  The
> implementation, of course, is not trivial...

Looks to me like the issue in dispute is what it means to "recognize" a
problem.

Perhaps what Beddini is really saying is that he wants the problem "fixed",
rather than just "recognized"?

I can appreciate that the problem might be difficult to fix after the
fact...but it *is* a fairly fundamental need.  Seems odd that it would be
something that must be added on a year or so later, as opposed to being
designed in.
-- 
Dick Dunn     rcd at ico.isc.com -or- ico!rcd       Boulder, CO   (303)449-2870
   ...Simpler is better.



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