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0 pointsdanbruc11y ago0 comments

I develop enterprise software, too, and I definitely think it matters there, too. You better make sure your database columns have the correct number type or you will get in trouble if your inventory numbers or monetary values start showing rounding errors.

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3 comments · 2 top-level

ionforce11y ago· 1 in thread

You are comparing two different types of numbers.

What was originally compared was different sized integral types.

What you are comparing is two numeric types that have a large semantic gulf (fractions vs integers).

So your point is disingenuous in the context of the former.

danbrucOP11y ago

I just wanted to address your point that enterprise software does usually not involve dealing with numbers.

When it comes to integers you are right - signed and 32 bits is a viable choice in north of 90 % of all cases. And when I wrote you should be able to make good decision about the number type to use I was already thinking of all the number types, however I did not express this well. But then I really don't see a lot of difference between being able to choose between integer, floating point and decimal types on the one hand and various integer types on the other hand.

rtpg11y ago

Yeah, you're right, data types matter. Like sibling said, this was more in response to signed/unsigned or different bit sizes. We could get rid of minutiae while still allowing for broad choice when it actually matters.

I do think that the difference between Integer/Fractional is important, but honestly if you're dealing with money you should be using some Money datatype that's smart about this instead of raw numbers.

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