Rational arithmetic

[Clifford J. Nelson]

----------
>From: Pieter Koopman <pieter@cs.kun.nl>
>To: clean-list@cs.kun.nl, clean-list@cs.kun.nl
>Subject: Re: Rational arithmetic
>Date: Mon, Nov 30, 1998, 1:49 AM
>

>At 11:31 PM 11/27/98 +0100, rinus wrote:
>>
>>
>>"Clifford J. Nelson" wrote:
>>
>>> I read a hint somewhere on the Internet that exact rational arithmetic was
>>> implemented in Clean version 1.3, but was buried somewhere in the
>>> documentation. Is it? I cannot find it.
>>>
>>>      Cliff Nelson
>>
>>We have indeed a StdRatio. It needs some polishing and therefore is was not
>>distributed yet.
>
>A preliminary version can be found as an example in chapter I.4 of the
>Clean book in preparation. This chapter can be downloaded via the clean pages.
>
>Have fun, 
>
>Pieter Koopman
>

 That sounds like work to me, not fun. A lot of work, because it is like
reinventing the wheel. I guess I will have to wait for Clean 1.4 or 2.0.
Meanwhile I have tested Macintosh Common Lisp (MCL) versus Clean for time.
They report exactly the same execution times for the stuff I am doing
(amazing coincidence!). MCL has the full number tower. Clean programs are
much easier to understand. MCL I/O is easier to understand. When Clean has
the full number tower, easy I/O programming, and an IDE as sophisticated as
MCL, Clean will be the winner. (and the Lisp language is at least 48 years
old). 

    Cliff Nelson