[boost] Re: Units libraries... (long reply)

From: Deane Yang (deane_yang_at_[hidden])
Date: 2004-01-13 13:51:01

Phil Richards wrote:
> Actually, I find it difficult to think of "absolute" quantities as
> anything but standalone quantities that live somewhat to the side of this
> discussion.  Yes, they are clearly related, but you can't use an "absolute
> unit" as a dimension in dimensional analysis (by any "normal" definition
> of dimensional analysis, and I'm not even talking about "physical
> quantities" here). All the things you want dimensional analysis to do for
> you are broken by using "absolute dimensions" since the key thing about
> dimensional analysis is that it calculates the unit of things when they
> are multiplicatively combined - absolute quantities *can't* be multiplied
> by anything.
> 

I believe I did explain what you are allowed to do with absolute units,
and, as you say, it's not much. So I agree that we shouldn't waste any 
time worrying about them right now.