RE: [boost] Re: Dimensional Analysis Interest?

From: Brock Peabody (brock.peabody_at_[hidden])
Date: 2003-10-15 18:09:42

> -----Original Message-----
> From: boost-bounces_at_[hidden] [mailto:boost-bounces_at_[hidden]]
> On Behalf Of Jan Langer
> Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2003 5:38 PM
> To: boost_at_[hidden]
> Subject: [boost] Re: Dimensional Analysis Interest?
> 
> Brock Peabody wrote:
> >>>In other words, the library does not need to
> >>>explicitly define units or dimensions for velocity, momentum, or
> energy.
> >>>These would be automatically derived from the more fundamental
> >>>dimensions (mass, length, time).
> >>
> >>I'm not sure how this would work outside the metric system, eg gallons,
> >>or BTU ( http://www.sizes.com/units/british_thermal_unit.htm )
> >
> > If I understand it like I think I do, it would matter what system you
> used,

Oops, this should read "it would _not_ matter"!  By which I meant that I
though this library was totally ignorant of systems of measurement in
general.

[...]

> ok, the pseudo-code got a little out of hand. but i just dont understand
> the confusion here. there are of course a lot of problems like type
> promotion, fractional dimensions and so on but everyone who needs a
> different unit system can build it on top of either dimensions, physics
> or special units.

Your pseudo-code was interesting, and I agree - this library doesn't need to
answer all of these questions, but could serve as a foundation for others
that will.  I was just thinking out loud about handling conversions between
different systems of measurement automatically.

Brock