Re: Precision of data types and functions

The Gregorian calendar was established in the 1500's by Pope Gregory,
so, no, those dates did not exist.

--
Brandon Aiken
CS/IT Systems Engineer
-----Original Message-----
From: Scott Marlowe [mailto:smarlowe@g2switchworks.com]
Sent: Friday, September 01, 2006 2:22 PM
To: Brandon Aiken
Cc: pgsql general
Subject: Re: [GENERAL] Precision of data types and functions

On Fri, 2006-09-01 at 10:37, Brandon Aiken wrote:
> Oh, I'm not saying that MySQL is a full-featured database, nor saying
> that I agree with the MySQL philosophy.  I don't.  That's why I'm
trying
> to avoid MySQL.
>
> However PostgreSQL isn't any more accurate with FLOATs than MySQL is.
> The ANSI SQL standard for FLOAT is for an inaccurate number.  It was
> never meant to be accurate, so even though MySQL has a much more
liberal
> philosophy it's still behaving correctly when it does the math
> inaccurately.  Which is just like I would expect PostgreSQL or DB2 or
> Oracle to do.  If you need numeric accuracy and you pick FLOAT for
your
> field, that *is* the developer's fault.  You picked a screwdriver when
> you needed a chisel.
>
> Now, MySQL's design to 9-fill fields when you try to enter a too-large
> number is, in fact, stupid on MySQL's part.  I consider that silent
> truncation.  Heck, MySQL lets you create a date on February 31st, or
> prior to the year 1500, both of which are obviously nonsensical.

What's nonsensical about a date before the year 1500???  it's not like
that didn't exist or something.