Re: Odd/Even packed numbers.

From: Giuseppe Costagliola <gcosta@sidin.it>

> In the past (at S/38 times) we have been told that odd packed numbers were
> not so efficient as even ones, and that - at design time - it was better to
> define even (you mean ODD) packed numbers (for example 9.0 instead of 8.0).
>
> The simple answer could be to use 9.0 because it occupies the same storage
> as 8.0, but unfotunately it occupies also one more byte in reports, panels,
> etc. and - with other values - another byte for one more decimal separator.
>
> Is there any evidence that with RISC processors this is still true?
> If so, how much system performances could degrade in case of large files?

It was indeed true on the CISC machines. As for RISC, it is trivial
to make a little test program that adds up a million or a billion packed
numbers (all with the same value, say 123) and see how long it takes.
Try it and give something back to the community by reporting the result
here.