JDK-4414323 : java.lang.Number should implement java.lang.Comparable.
  • Type: Enhancement
  • Component: core-libs
  • Sub-Component: java.lang
  • Affected Version: 1.4.0
  • Priority: P4
  • Status: Closed
  • Resolution: Not an Issue
  • OS: solaris_7
  • CPU: generic
  • Submitted: 2001-02-12
  • Updated: 2001-11-01
  • Resolved: 2001-11-01
Description
All of the classes that extend java.lang.Number also implement
java.lang.Comparable. As all numbers are comparable, shouldn't 
the class Number implement Comparable?
Comments
EVALUATION All "numbers" are not comparable; comparable assumes a total ordering of numbers is possible. This is not even true of floating-point numbers; NaN (not a number) is neither less than, greater than, nor equal to any floating-point value, even itself. {Float, Double}.compare impose a total ordering different from the ordering of the floating-point "<" and "=" operators. Additionally, as currently implemented, the subclasses of Number are only comparable to other instances of the same class. There are other cases, like complex numbers, where no standard total ordering exists, although one could be defined. In short, whether or not a subclass of Number is comparable should be left as a decision for that subclass. ###@###.### 2001-11-01
01-11-2001