...
> It is my understanding that RPM does run that test. My main issue is
> why does numeric have to be so much larger than the other tests? I have
> not heard that explained.
afaict it is not larger. It *does* take more time, but the number of
tests is relatively small, or at least compatible with the number of
tests which appear, or should appear, in other tests of data types
covering a large problem space (e.g. date/time).
It does illustrate that BCD-like encodings are expensive, and that
machine-supported math is usually a win. If it is a big deal, jump in
and widen the internal math operations!
- Thomas
