C needs BCD (ANSI People: Please Listen)

[Henry Spencer]

> I think implementing BCD like strings would NOT be a good idea.  People
> who use it will want to use it just like any other type, and I don't think
> that's unreasonable.

People who use strings would like to use them just like any other type,
and this is an eminently reasonable request.  The point is, it's hard.
How long are strings?  How are they allocated?  What happens when they
overflow?  How can you define an adequate set of string operators and
still keep the complexity down?  Most of these questions apply, with
equal strength, to BCD.  Remember, "BCD" does *not* denote a single type;
BCD of *what* *length*?  Building in a whole family of numeric types
is not a decision to be taken lightly; that way lies Ada...
-- 
				Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology
				{allegra,ihnp4,linus,decvax}!utzoo!henry