clipka wrote:
> Invisible schrieb:
>>> That's actually its strength... until it comes to interfacing with 
>>> the outside world, which is where things tend to get ugly.
>>
>> And given that currently the number one use for C is to interface with 
>> the outside world... strange choice, that.
> 
> I'd say its number one use is for embedded systems, which typically have 
> a very limited interface to the outside world.

I would have to disagree. I think google has a much more limited interface 
to the outside world than a set top box or an iPhone does, in the sense that 
you're talking.

The iPhone has half a dozen pieces of custom hardware. Set top boxes talk to 
tuners, hardware decoders, etc. Google? They just talk TCP and disk files.

> <float.h> does the same for floating-point types, by the way.

A) Assuming it's there, and B) assuming it tells you the information you 
need in a way you can use it portably. Pick out the best type given an 
arbitrary requirement on precision and accuracy and range, and know you got 
it right for all compilers. Go for it. (Indeed, it even assumes a specific 
floating point representation.)

And where's <decimal.h>.  Oh, I forgot, C's type system sucks and doesn't 
handle fixed-point.  :-)

-- 
   Darren New, San Diego CA, USA (PST)
   I ordered stamps from Zazzle that read "Place Stamp Here".

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