When you say:
> So proposal #1 is to rip out the numeric versions of these functions. you mean remove the ability to do transendentals on numerics to prevent such unusual auto-casting? Are you suggesting that in all other cases, autocast to numeric is OK? I am a little confused. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tom Lane wrote: > I have noticed a change in behavior following the recent changes for > casting of numeric constants. In prior releases, we got > > regression=# select log(10.1); > log > ------------------ > 1.00432137378264 > (1 row) > > CVS tip gives > > regression=# select log(10.1); > log > -------------- > 1.0043213738 > (1 row) > > The reason for the change is that 10.1 used to be implicitly typed as > float8, but now it's typed as numeric, so this command invokes > log(numeric) instead of log(float8). And log(numeric)'s idea of > adequate output precision seems low. > > Similar problems occur with sqrt(), exp(), ln(), pow(). > > I realize that there's a certain amount of cuteness in being able to > calculate these functions to arbitrary precision, but this is a database > not a replacement for bc(1). ISTM the numeric datatype is intended for > exact calculations, and so transcendental functions (which inherently > have inexact results) don't belong. > > So proposal #1 is to rip out the numeric versions of these functions. > > If you're too attached to them, proposal #2 is to force them to > calculate at least 16 digits of output, so that we aren't losing any > accuracy compared to prior behavior. > > Comments? > > regards, tom lane > > ---------------------------(end of broadcast)--------------------------- > TIP 3: if posting/reading through Usenet, please send an appropriate > subscribe-nomail command to [EMAIL PROTECTED] so that your > message can get through to the mailing list cleanly > -- Bruce Momjian | http://candle.pha.pa.us [EMAIL PROTECTED] | (610) 359-1001 + If your life is a hard drive, | 13 Roberts Road + Christ can be your backup. | Newtown Square, Pennsylvania 19073 ---------------------------(end of broadcast)--------------------------- TIP 3: if posting/reading through Usenet, please send an appropriate subscribe-nomail command to [EMAIL PROTECTED] so that your message can get through to the mailing list cleanly
