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Re: [xsl] Math "functions" for XSLT 1.0

2010-03-03 08:08:00
On Wed, Mar 3, 2010 at 5:00 AM, COUTHURES Alain
<alain(_dot_)couthures(_at_)agencexml(_dot_)com> wrote:

Dave,

Alain, have you seen Dimitres work?
http://fxsl.sourceforge.net/articles/xslCalculator/The%20FXSL%20Calculator.html

Thank you for this link.

Taylor series do not provide good precision while the algorithms I'm using 
are almost as good as the ones used by Javascript!


It is amusing to see someone "rediscovering" work that has been done 8
years ago and used and known by the community.

As to the precision of the algorithms, the math functions of FXSL have
a parameter to specify the required precision. A statement such as
"Taylor series do not provide good precision " is mathematically
incorrect, one can only argue how fast (or with what number of
iterations)  a desired degree of precision is achieved.

For eight years there have been no reports by users that the FXSL math
functions are either imprecise or slow. Also, FXSL users are not
dependent even  on a single extension function and thus not bound to a
specific XSLT processor. I am open to any suggestions for using faster
numerical algorithms, and if such exist and there is real need for
this, will gladly  implement them in FXSL :)

I can understand well the frustration of anyone who has invested a
solid effort in something and then understands that the goal has been
successfully achieved many years ago and the effort could have been
better aimed at something else.

The conclusion is well known (even in Chukche folklore :)   ), but
needs to be re-iterated again and again:

   We need to read more before taking crucial and costly decisions.




--
Cheers,
Dimitre Novatchev
---------------------------------------
Truly great madness cannot be achieved without significant intelligence.
---------------------------------------
To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk
-------------------------------------
Never fight an inanimate object
-------------------------------------
You've achieved success in your field when you don't know whether what
you're doing is work or play

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