(j3.2006) IEEE and the GPU world

[Keith Bierman]

Should the Standard really prescribe that deeply?

On  a GPU that observes only the bit patterns but nothing else, I'd hope
that whether the IEEE stuff "worked" was a compiler option .. because
clearly anyone trying to do careful numerical reasoning is going to want
"no" and people who are more relaxed might want a different answer so they
could keep their source code "the same".

Future GPUs might have better support, at least for some features, and then
it's more like what Dick suggests ;>

The current GPU situation is vaguely akin to the early array processors
(FPS, et al) we didn't craft special definitions for them, the market moved
on, and better integrated solutions won the day (and made for an easier
model for the Standard ;>).

History doesn't always repeat, but it is often the way to bet ;>


Keith Bierman
khbkhb at gmail.com
kbiermank AIM
303 997 2749


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