Proposal for modifying gnucash to use exact quantities

John Hasler john@dhh.gt.org
26 Jul 2000 07:28:20 -0500


Christopher Browne writes:
> True.  They were counting a discrete, countable quantity.

But delivering a continuous substance.

> Can you name one that people _actually use_ that is not discrete?

Gasoline.

> If we try to work using FP values,...

Relax,  I'm not trying to get you to go back to FP.  I was trying to make a
somewhat theoretical point.  Obviously, I failed.

> True.  Which means that the rounding policy needs to be _nailed down_,

You can and should do that for money, but I don't see how you can hope to
do it for goods.  Every industry has it's own conventions, and each
contract can be different.

We seem to have a basic philosophical difference here.  I see a
double-entry accounting system as existing to deal with money.  Everything
else ---stocks, bonds, gasoline, machine screws, 747's--- is the province
of inventory control.  You appear to want to put everything in the same
system and treat money as just another kind of stuff.
-- 
John Hasler
john@dhh.gt.org (John Hasler)
Dancing Horse Hill
Elmwood, WI