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Re: Motion P1788/M007.01_NaI: NO, several NaIs please



> From: John Pryce <j.d.pryce@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Re: Motion P1788/M007.01_NaI: NO, several NaIs please
> Date: Tue, 1 Sep 2009 13:03:09 +0100
> To: stds-1788@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> 
> Dan & all
> << George, this counts as a vote, please. >>
> 
> Sorry not to reply before start of voting period.
> 
> On 24 Aug 2009, at 20:04, Dan Zuras Intervals wrote:
> > 	P.S. - On the merits:  I would argue in favor of no NaI or
> > 	just one.  The argument about the historical uselessness
> > 	of the NaN payload is a compelling one in my opinion.
> 
> Seems to me its "historical uselessness" (nice phrase) has much to do  
> with no _official_ payload values and meanings having been defined.
> 
> . . .
> 
> I take a different message from Dan, about the "historical  
> uselessness" of NaN payloads, and it's a message Dan feels strongly  
> about:
>                     DEFINE, DEFINE, DEFINE.
> 
> So I cast my vote for "NO, I want several NaIs", and I want us to  
> specify them.
> 
> Regards
> 
> John

	Folks,

	John is quite correct & it is this last that is my meaning.

	NaNs in 754 have been 'historically useless' (IHMO) precisely
	BECAUSE we could not settle on a common behavior across
	platforms.  No common behavior.  No common code written.
	No utility for NaNs.  (Well, beyond their function as a
	placeholder for undefined results.)

	Still, it is early in the game for 1788.  We should have that
	discussion now.  If we can agree then I would vote in favor
	of that agreement.

	Vincent & I were trying to do just that privately & even the
	two of us could not agree.  Collectively we have much more
	variance in opinion.

	So, I will also cast a NO vote for this (George please note).
	For much the same reason as John but with a little bit of
	doubt thrown in there concerning our ability to come to an
	agreement that 754 could not. :-)

	Yours,

				   Dan