multiple precision arithmetic

[Kevin Coombes]

This note is to annouce the availability via anonymous ftp of a
linrary of C functions to do multiple precision arithmetic. the
package is called "Arithmetic in Global Fields" and is available at

	stag.math.lsa.umich.edu

in the file

	pub/kevin/arith.tar.Z.

The basic virtue of this package is that it provides a uniform
interface for doing computations with either arbitrarily long integers
or with polynomials of arbitrary degree over finite fields. It has a
couple of minor drawbacks, some of which are documented and others of
which I will no doubt hear. I am certain that it could be made faster,
and input of integers is slightly awkward. Other than that, the chief
defect in some people's eyes will be the fact that this program is
copyrighted under the terms of the GNU Public License. That is, it
is FREE, it comes with no warranty, but anyone who redistributes it is
required to make the source code available, and any packages which
incorporate it come under the same license provisions. I happen to
think that's a good idea, which is why I am making this package
publicly available.

Kevin R. Coombes
<kevin at math.lsa.umich.edu