[OT] The Usual Arithmetic Confusions

[Ola Fosheim Grøstad]

On Friday, 4 February 2022 at 04:28:37 UTC, Walter Bright wrote:
> On 2/3/2022 8:25 AM, Paul Backus wrote:
>> The inconsistency is the problem here. Having integer types 
>> behave differently depending on their width makes the language 
>> harder to learn,
>
> It's not really that hard - it's about two or three sentences. 
> As long as one understands 2s-complement arithmetic. If one 
> doesn't understand 2s-complement, and assumes it works like 3rd 
> grade arithmetic, I agree it can be baffling.

I don't think this is limited to learning. I don't think 
programmers with decades of experience with C/C++ has a problem 
understanding 2s-complement, but it is still creating annoyances 
and friction.

Maybe it is time to acknowledge that most of the D user base use 
the language for high level programming I would do the following:

1. make 64 bit signed integers with overflow checks the "default" 
type across the board

2. provide a library type for range-constrained integers that use 
intrinsic "assume" directives to provide the compiler with 
information about constraints. This type would choose a storage 
type that the constrained integer fits in.

3. add some clean syntax for disabling runtime checks where 
higher speed is required.

D could become competitive with that and ARC + local GC.

D should try to improve on higher level programming as well as 
the ability to transition from high level to system level in a 
metamorphosis like evolution process.