Re: [boost] Stream input and output of NaN and infinity

From: Robert Ramey (ramey_at_[hidden])
Date: 2006-05-15 15:10:42

Peter Dimov wrote:

> It depends. Where do you draw the line? Is inf a number? Is -0.0 a
> number? You have to have NaN if you want to be able to represent x/y
> as a float.

That's the problem.  x/y is not a valid operation if y is equal to 0. So
it can't be represented as a number.

The fact that C++ permits such an operation makes C++ different
than arithmetic.  The fact that C++ uses operators like "/" and defines them
similar to - but not identical to - the way they are defined by
standard arithmetic is the source of all these problems.  I say
that C++ should be changed to so that the floats and operators which
apply to them should implement what people expect from arithmetic operators.

Robert Ramey