Re: [boost] Re: Reminder: Review Special functions, Quaternions, Octonions

From: Beman Dawes (bdawes_at_[hidden])
Date: 2001-05-25 13:28:35

At 01:53 PM 5/25/2001, Daryle Walker wrote:

 >I don't think "special_functions" is a good name.  Relative to other math
 >stuff, atanh, sinc_pi, and sinhc_pi aren't that special.  There can be
 >special functions in other areas besides math.  So the name is ambiguous 
in
 >two ways.  I've read suggestions here before to start dividing the Boost
 >files into sub-domains, before the main header and library subdirectories
 >get too large.  Maybe it can start here, with a structure like:
 >
 >BOOST_ROOT/boost/numeric
 >    + quaternion.hpp
 >    + octonion.hpp
 >    + trigonmetric.hpp (sinc_pi, future stuff)
 >    + hyperbolic.hpp (atanh, sinhc_pi, future stuff)
 >    + rational.hpp (moved from parent directory)
 >
 >BOOST_ROOT/boost/semi_numeric
 >    + random.hpp (moved from parent directory)
 >    + random/*.hpp (moved from parent directory)
 >    + crc.hpp (moved from parent directory)
 >
 >With mirrored changes in the BOOST_ROOT/libs subdirectory.

While the details are certainly open to discussion, I think Daryle is right 
about introducing sub-directories for numerics stuff.  After working with 
current libraries already in sub-directories (graph/test/random, etc.), I 
find the scheme very intuitive and useful.  Benefits greatly outweigh the 
costs.

As to the distinction between "numeric" and "seminumeric",  here is what 
Knuth had to say of his volume 2:

"The algorithms discussed in this book deal directly with numbers; yet I 
believe they are properly called seminumerical, because they lie on the 
borderline between numeric and symbolic calculation."

In his book, seminumerical includes random numbers and arithmetic 
(including rational arithmetic).

To save endless taxonomy arguments, we might want to combine numeric and 
seminumeric.

--Beman