Proposal for modifying gnucash to use exact quantities

[Terry]

On Fri, 28 Jul 2000, you wrote:

> 
> Unfortunately, all Bill has provided is a way of representing and
> manipulating rational values.  There's nothing particularly _wrong_ or
> awful about having that.  I don't think we need to go so far as to burn
> the proposal, strew the ashes in a field, and sow the field with salt,
> broken glass, and powdered plutonium so that nothing useful can ever
> grow there again.  (Other opinions may vary :-).)
> 
> But I don't think it represents what people really need to do with
> _financial amounts_.

Okay, do like Bill has done - write up a document (proposal) detailing EXACTLY
what should be done. Include an implementation that can be integrated into
gnucash. That is what Bill is doing - not arguing about it endlessly.

> 
> Once we get that library, the conclusion is liable to be:
> "Well, now let's build something that works with transactions, and
> adds, prices, and values them."

Define EXACTLY what the library is. Then provide an implementation so that
everybody can see that the definition can be implemented. Then integrate it
into gnucash. Then you have something to discuss, not argue about endlessly.

> 
> I'd rather put the emphasis on that next higher level library, which
> might look more like:

Nobody is stopping you - DO IT. Report back when you have done it.

> This set of operators came off the top of my head, and there is a bit
> of an assumption that amounts are integers, and that the denominators
> sit in the commodity.  Relax/strengthen that as needed.

Take it off the top of your head and put it into words which EXACTLY define
what you want. Then provide an implementation thereof. Then you have a basis
for discussion.

> It may be that we could use the API that Bill has described to help
> implement the next one, but I think it's the operators to work with
> commodities and quantities thereof that need the attention.

Then provide the attention - yours - Just DO IT