Re: OT: Number bases

Hi!

Mark J. Reed writes:
> On Wed, Feb 11, 2009 at 1:31 PM, Henrik Theiling <theiling@...> wrote:
>> Yeah, of course, I'm using unsigned/signed numbers, too when I program
>> in C/C++.  But in a balanced ternary system, there's no space saving
>> for unsigned numbers
>
> Sure, but that's similar to saying "in two's complement, there's no
> space savings for unsigned numbers".  Balanced ternary is just an
> interpretation of ternary logic; by itself, ternary logic could just
> as easily be unsigned: three trits have 27 different states, which
> represent -13 through +13 in balanced ternary, but 0 through 26 in
> regular old ternary.  So there's still the same tradeoff.
>
>> one cause of confusion would be eliminated: a balanced ternary computer system does
>> not have 'natural' unsigned numbers.
>
> Yes, but ternary logic by itself is not "balanced" - that's an
> interpretation placed on it by the logic, just as "two's complement"
> is an interpretation placed on binary logic.
Ah, now I understand what you mean.  You're right.  So you'd expect a
ternary CPU'd still have both signed and unsigned arithmetics even if
the CPU was build with balanced ternary logic in mind?  Would people
really introduce unsigned's then?

**Henrik

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