Java Numerics

[Bill.WalsteraEng.Sun.COM]

Here is my personal opinion on this topic.

It would help in framing the discussion tomorrow to keep the intended Java
consumers in mind.  A reasonable case can be made for "sameness" at all cost,
if Java users are dominated by people using embedded systems or other
low-level (from a numerical perspective) devices.  However, "sameness" is not
as important as accuracy if (as appears to be happening) Java becomes adopted
by users and developers of numerically intense software, or even if Java
stations are used as "terminals" for large clusters on a network.

At present, interval arithmetic is the only practical way to deal with
accuracy information from all sources.  The beauty of intervals is that
"containment" is the one and only sense in which all interval
implementations must be the "same".  In an interval environment, developers
of hardware and software are free to compete for speed *and* interval
sharpness however they feel will best serve their customers.  Rather than
attempting to impose a meaningless "sameness" on all vendors (a Herculean
task that seems doomed to fail), better to open the door to competition on
both speed *and* accuracy, but in a way that will benefit users.

Bill Walster