Re: How do I bisect unbounded intervals?
On 2012-01-13 02:23:23 +0000, Corliss, George wrote:
> On Jan 12, 2012, at 8:11 PM, Vincent Lefevre wrote:
> > The standard could include informative text about bisection,
> > so that the programmer doesn't misuse some operation provided
> > by the standard.
>
> Assuming, of course, the programmer reads the standard.
>
> Sorry. While disclaimer signs on ladders or in manual may satisfy
> lawyers, I wonder about their effectiveness at forestalling
> dangerous behavior.
>
> Variant of KISS: You can't sell a program without a manual, and you
> can't sell a program that NEEDs a manual.
>
> I prefer we try REALLY hard to avoid functions that deliver
> surprising results.
Well, if a programmer wants to use bisection, he will need to get
informed, e.g. by reading something on the subject. And that
something could be based on what on the standard says.
--
Vincent Lefèvre <vincent@xxxxxxxxxx> - Web: <http://www.vinc17.net/>
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Work: CR INRIA - computer arithmetic / AriC project (LIP, ENS-Lyon)