[Cfp-interest 2843] Re: The leading (or negative field) bit on a NaN

[Mike Cowlishaw]

> Some people call it a sign bit.
> 
> Is this really something to do with a sign or is it just 
> another bit in the NaN that can be considered part of the 
> information the NaN contains.

Technically its 'just another bit'.  However, in my testcases I treat the
payload of the NaN as being a signed integer having the value of the
significand and signed by treating that bit as a sign bit.  This to me, is
useful and unambiguous, and it also works for both decimal significand
codings..

Mike