What is unique about the technology used in the Base/1 Number Class?
The Base/1 Number Class uses an innovative variable-length encoding of numbers that bears some resemblance to Binary Coded Decimal (BCD), but is considerably more efficient in several respects. One of the keys to Base One’s unique (patent pending) design is its use of fast, robust STL/MFC string classes to maintain the internal representation of numbers. This design makes possible a number of features not found in other numeric encoding technologies: • all arithmetic calculations are performed taking two digits at a time • fast byte-by-byte comparison logic requires no normalization to handle variable sign, precision, or scale • no explicit length field is required, reducing both size and processing complexity • significant zeroes are compressed, further reducing storage requirements • compact, efficient memory allocation logic is inherited from the standard STL/MFC string classes • direct collatability of signed numbers of varying length and scale by efficient byte string comparison S
