To: J3 J3/07-118 Subject: Comments on clause 14 From: Van Snyder Date: 2007 January 22 1 Edits Edits refer to 07-007. Page and line numbers are displayed in the margin. Absent other instructions, a page and line number or line number range implies all of the indicated text is to be replaced by associated text, while a page and line number followed by + (-) indicates that associated text is to be inserted after (before) the indicated line. Remarks are noted in the margin, or appear between [ and ] in the text. [439:8] ------------------------------------------------------------------ [Editor: Insert "the exceptions" before "IEEE OVERFLOW".] [439:18] ----------------------------------------------------------------- [Editor: Delete "Also,".] [Note 14.3+2,8,9] -------------------------------------------------------- [The standard is about processors and programs, not programmers. Editor: "programmer' "program" thrice.] [440:30+1] --------------------------------------------------------------- [Editor: "containing" => "representing".] [441:2,7] ---------------------------------------------------------------- [Editor: Insert "is" before "for" twice.] [441:9] ------------------------------------------------------------------ [Editor: Replace the semicolon by a comma.] [441:10,12] -------------------------------------------------------------- [Editor: "to return" => "returns" twice.] [442:7] ------------------------------------------------------------------ [If one at first reads "signals" as a noun instead of a verb the sentence is confusing. Editor: Insert "of them" before "signals".] [444:13] ----------------------------------------------------------------- [Editor: "held within" => "represented by".] [444:19] ----------------------------------------------------------------- [Editor: "lowered" => "reduced".] [445:30] ----------------------------------------------------------------- [Editor: "Tables" => "Summary" (there are no tables here).] [445:30+] ---------------------------------------------------------------- [Editor: Needs an ISO-mandated subsection.] [Note 14.8+2] ------------------------------------------------------------ [The standard is about processors and programs, not programmers. Editor: "programmer writing' "program containing".] [448:15] ----------------------------------------------------------------- [Editor: Insert "the" before "value".] [452:4] ------------------------------------------------------------------ [Editor: Delete "the".] [452:12] ----------------------------------------------------------------- [Editor: "Note: this" => "This" since the sentence appears to be normative (else put it in a note box).] [463:Note 14.14 (cont)]--------------------------------------------------- [The module doesn't provide the dot product, it provides the function that computes the dot product. Editor: Insert "a function that computes" before "the dot".] 2 Descriptions in active voice or as simple declarations Most (but not all) of the descriptions in clause 13 are either simple declarations or are in active voice. Make clause 14 consistently one or the other, i.e., eliminate passive voice, preferentially in favor of similar declarations. [452:17] ----------------------------------------------------------------- [Editor: "Returns the next" => "Next".] [453:21] ----------------------------------------------------------------- [Editor: "Returns" => "Return".] [454:3] ------------------------------------------------------------------ [Editor: "Returns" => "Return".] [455:4] ------------------------------------------------------------------ [Editor: "Controls" => "Control".] 3 Simplify argument descriptions Some arguments are described "a scalar integer" and others are described more verbosely. Make the verbose ones terse. [454:8-10] --------------------------------------------------------------- [Editor: "scalar . . . integer" => "an integer scalar" thrice.] [454:34+1] --------------------------------------------------------------- [Editor: "scalar . . . logical" => "a default logical scalar or array".] [455:7+1] ---------------------------------------------------------------- [Editor: "scalar . . . logical" => "a default logical scalar or array".] [456:17+1] --------------------------------------------------------------- [Editor: "scalar . . . logical" => "a default logical scalar or array".] [456:32] ----------------------------------------------------------------- [Editor: "of . . . array" => "a real scalar or array".] [457:10] ----------------------------------------------------------------- [Editor: "of . . . array" => "a real scalar or array".] [457:26] ----------------------------------------------------------------- [Editor: "of . . . array" => "a real scalar or array".] [458:6+1] ---------------------------------------------------------------- [Editor: "scalar and" => "a scalar".] [458:22] ----------------------------------------------------------------- [Editor: "scalar and" => "a scalar".] [458:35] ----------------------------------------------------------------- [Editor: "of . . . array" => "a real scalar or array".] [459:13] ----------------------------------------------------------------- [Editor: "of . . . array" => "a real scalar or array".] [459:27] ----------------------------------------------------------------- [Editor: "of . . . array" => "a real scalar or array".] [460:5] ------------------------------------------------------------------ [Editor: "of . . . array" => "a real scalar or array".] [460:15] ----------------------------------------------------------------- [Editor: "of . . . array" => "a real scalar or array".] 4 If and only if Several function result descriptions use "if and only if " while others use "true if . . . and false otherwise" or a variation thereof. Settle consistently on "if and only if ". Editor: Replace "if " by "if and only if ", and delete "; and . . . false otherwise" or a variation thereof at the following places: 449:0+3-4 449:8+1,9 450:34:451:2 451:10-11 451:21,23 451:31,34 457:2-3 457:13,17 457:29,31 458:11,13 458:26-28 459:3-5 459:16,19 459:30,31 460:8,10 460:18,20 460:21,22 460:26 460:32-33 5 Questions without answers [440:21-24] -------------------------------------------------------------- Are the types defined by the IEEE modules extensible? [445:13-16] -------------------------------------------------------------- Are other clauses consistent with this paragraph, contradictory to it, or oblivious to it? [452:25-29] -------------------------------------------------------------- It was apparently at least useful to remark on the relation between IEEE LOGB and EXPONENT at [452:21]. Should the relation between IEEE NEXT AFTER and NEAREST be remarked here? [453:16-17] -------------------------------------------------------------- It was apparently at least useful to remark on the relation between IEEE LOGB and EXPONENT at [452:21]. Should the relation between IEEE RINT and NINT be remarked here? [453:30-37] -------------------------------------------------------------- It was apparently at least useful to remark on the relation between IEEE LOGB and EXPONENT at [452:21]. Should the relation between IEEE SCALB and SCALE be remarked here? [462:Note 14.13] --------------------------------------------------------- Do we put recommendations in notes? [465:Note 14.17] --------------------------------------------------------- In the last line of the note, does "reset" mean "signaling" or "not signaling"?