Re: [boost] Infinite precision integer draft

From: David Abrahams (dave_at_[hidden])
Date: 2006-05-28 08:59:15

Sebastian Redl <sebastian.redl_at_[hidden]> writes:

> Bronek Kozicki wrote:
>
>>In other words, if you can 
>>"infinitely" extend given positive number towards +inifnity, does it make any 
>>sense to disallow its extension past zero? It makes me think that concept of 
>>"unsigned integer with infinite precision" is self-contradictory.
>>  
>>
> No, it's not. Precision and signedness have nothing to do with each 
> other. The main (only, really, when it comes down to it) difference 
> between a signed and an unsigned integer is that an unsigned integer is 
> defined never to have a value less than 0. There are very valid reasons 
> to enforce such a restriction, 

For example?

> even when you want no upper limit (the 
> term infinite precision is not really appropriate for integers).

-- 
Dave Abrahams
Boost Consulting
www.boost-consulting.com