sqrmax@cvtci.com.ar wrote:
IMO, any mixed math you add to the system, should be communtative.
I don't know... there are non commutative maths. This could be a problem later.
True, there are non-commutative maths, but the ones that I can think of offhand that are generalizations of the ones implemented in Squeak, such as quaternions and Cayley numbers, are built out of components which are manipulated by commutative operators. So it seems reasonable to build the general number system such that the standard operators (addition and multiplication in particular) are commutative, and then design the non-commutative systems with the appropriate constraints, rather than constraining the base number systems to favor the more complex and less-used non-commutative systems. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Only a proper understanding of the constraints imposed by the properties of our space and of the rich repertoire permitted within these constraints allow the achievement of a balanced disciplined freedom." - Arthur Loeb in "Concepts and Images" ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bruce Cohen, | email: cohenb@gemstone.com GemStone Systems, Inc. | phone: (503)533-3602 20575 NW Von Neumann Drive | fax: (503)629-8556 Beaverton, OR USA 97006 | web: http://www.gemstone.com
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