Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!crdgw1!uunet!stan!McGuire
From: McGuire@solbourne.com (Jim McGuire)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.programmer
Subject: re: "wobble" in Floating Point
Message-ID: <1991May28.163303.11806@solbourne.com>
Date: 28 May 91 16:33:03 GMT
Sender: McGuire@solbourne.com (Jim McGuire)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Solbourne Computer, Inc., Longmont, CO
Lines: 28


In article <13576@dog.ee.lbl.gov> torek@elf.ee.lbl.gov (Chris Torek) writes:
>In article <9105180923.aa03879@art-sy.detroit.mi.us>
>chap@art-sy.detroit.mi.us (j chapman flack) writes:
>>Of course, the AT&T folks just traded off wobble for storage size and
>>dynamic range. ... Now if they put all of that thought into the DESIGN,
>>why couldn't they have put some of it into the COMMENTS ??
>
>The comp_t stuff appears in 32V Unix (the original VAX port, swapping-
>only) and hence must date back to pre-V7 times.  (32V apparently split
>off just slightly before the V7 release.)

>The comment in 32V reads:
>        /* "floating pt": 3 bits base 8 exp, 13 bits fraction */

Well, I'm pretty certain it was in the V5 & V6 kernels, as well.
In fact, I don't remember ever seeing a kernel that didn't have
the acct stuff, and I started working with the kernel stuff in
Holmdel in '74.  No doubt someone can correct me if my
memory has dropped too many bits....

Of course, soon as I saw the "floating pt" comment, I didn't
bother to study it any further!  I mean, what does a kernel
need with floating point? :)

-- 
Jim McGuire, Solbourne Computer			Speaking for
mcguire@solbourne.com				myself only!