> However, Javascript is -- also per specification (as I understand it) -- entirely floating point. [...] While there are various arbitrary precision libraries out there for Javascript to assuage this
Interesting! I hadn't seen those before.
That strongly suggests that browsers ought to add some built-in extension types for arbitrary-precision arithmetic, using fast native libraries like GMP. That would then allow such JavaScript libraries to use the native types when available, and their existing pure-JavaScript support when not.
Eventually, sure; I'd love to see some standardized signed/unsigned integers, for that matter. However, in the meantime, a browser could add an extension that existing JavaScript libraries could transparently use when available.
Interesting! I hadn't seen those before.
That strongly suggests that browsers ought to add some built-in extension types for arbitrary-precision arithmetic, using fast native libraries like GMP. That would then allow such JavaScript libraries to use the native types when available, and their existing pure-JavaScript support when not.