Changing the Way Computers Compute

Mike Cowlishaw, IBM Fellow, presented "Changing the Way Computers Compute" at the Hillgang user group meeting on 24 April 2008. This presentation explains the need for hardware-accelerated binary decimal formats and the emerging IEEE standards in this area.

Overview:

  • Why decimal floating-point (DFP)?
  • DFP in System z and software
  • Support in standards, etc.
  • Using DFP in C and Java

Copyright © IBM Corporation 2008. All rights reserved.

Note: The regular presentation slides were slightly updated after the handouts, so that file is the newer revision. Both are offered here for your convenience.

AttachmentSize
Cowlishaw-DecimalArithmetic-Hillgang2008.pdf362.01 KB
Cowlishaw-DecimalArithmetic-Hillgang2008-handouts.pdf239.79 KB