[boost] Re: C++ Standard Library proposal - Math functions for Statistics

From: Hubert Holin (Hubert.Holin_at_[hidden])
Date: 2003-04-14 09:36:46

Somewhere in the E.U., le 14/04/2003

   It's a small world...

      I have just borrowed a copy of Abramowitz & Stegun, as I intended 
to propose to code a few additions to the very few Special Functions 
here at Boost.

      After reading cursorilly your proposal (I'll read it in more 
details later on), I would like to offer the following:

* choice of functions is OK (I'd perhaps add one for Kolmogorov-Smirnov 
statistics)

* real and not complex is OK (the complex case needs more thinking to be 
really usefull)

* overload versus template-based is NOT OK. I strongly believe that the 
benefits of genericity outweight, in this case, compatibility with C; if 
we can have default template arguments which correcpond to the most 
commonly used C flavor, then it would alleviate some of the concerns 
presented by your proposal.

      Should I go on with a few test implementations, or should I not 
bother?

   A bientot

         Hubert Holin

In article <AHEJIHEOOOBMJPAGPLIPGEBJDNAA.boost_at_[hidden]>,
 "Paul A. Bristow" <boost_at_[hidden]> wrote:

> Following discussions with Walter Brown, who made a previous proposal for 
> some
> math functions (adding to the C99 functions proposed by P J Plauger),
> I have prepared a draft of a new proposal to add a good number of other 
> 'special
> functions' which I believe have even greater practical utility (but perhaps 
> more
> difficulty in implementation).
> 
> The functions are essential for any statistical work assessing probabilities. 
> I
> believe this is essential to get useful information even from means & 
> standard
> deviations.
> 
> The difficult function is the incomplete beta, but is implicitly used by most 
> of
> the other functions.
> 
> The C99 math functions are also required.
> 
> The attached zipped HTML DRAFT document gives some background, references,
> rationale, proposed functions and suggested names (which put clarity before
> curtness, diverging from math greek letters to longer C++ Standard style 
> names.
> 
> I have drawn heavily from an existing C implementation called Cephes by S
> Moshier which might provide a C++ implementation if a Boost licence for a
> repackaged C++ version could be obtained from the author.
> 
> The proposed functions are overloaded for float, double and long double
> following the C99 to C++98 proposal, without using exceptions.  Although, 
> this
> is not the best C++ solution, I am now resigned that it is the best 
> compromise
> to maximize C and C++ compatibility.
> 
> Comments, corrections, criticism etc welcome.
> 
> Paul
> 
> Paul A Bristow, Prizet Farmhouse, Kendal, Cumbria, LA8 8AB  UK
> [phone]   Mobile [phone]
> Mobile mailto:pabristow_at_[hidden]
> mailto:pbristow_at_[hidden]
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