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<p class="MsoNormal">A new extension type is an interesting thought. More fundamentally, would 16-bit floats be more useful in image arrays or in binary tables?<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Rob<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in">On 7/25/25, 4:56 PM, "fitsbits" wrote:<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p align="center" style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:center"><strong><span style="font-family:Helvetica;color:red">External Email</span></strong><b><span style="font-family:Helvetica"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:.5in">
Hi Fitsbits,<br>
Although retired I still have a private opinion.<br>
Allowing a new data type in the primary header would in principle force all readers to be upgraded. A significant request.<br>
A better way would be to create a new extension type for radio astronomy. This would give full freedom to include any format or feature needed without forcing old readers to be upgraded.<br>
Yours<br>
Preben Grosboel <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in">--<br>
Sent with GMX Mail app<o:p></o:p></p>
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On 7/25/25, 17:44 Maren Purves via fitsbits <fitsbits@<a href="http://listmgr.nrao.edu">listmgr.nrao.edu</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in">As another one who also dates back to the days of punched cards, the<br>
80 character length is what the punched cards had, 80 characters, 7<br>
bit ASCII.<br>
<br>
I'm glad Malcolm got back to doing some astronomical research after retiring.<br>
<br>
Maren (nominally head of instrument and telescope software at the East<br>
Asian Observatory/JCMT but really more of a sysadmin these days)<br>
<br>
On Thu, Jul 24, 2025 at 11:24 PM Malcolm J. Currie via fitsbits<br>
<fitsbits@<a href="http://listmgr.nrao.edu">listmgr.nrao.edu</a>> wrote:<br>
><br>
> > Just because we are old does not mean that we are not working on state-of-the art software. The reason for wanting 16-bit floats is for this<br>
> > specific reason. Radio astronomy software would benefit from 16-bit floats.<br>
><br>
> Absolutely. That realisation had crossed my mind at the time, and I<br>
> wondered whether to qualify my statement. The groups weren't mutually<br>
> exclusive. In the end I decided not to dilute the point that we do need<br>
> fresh blood in the FITS WG.<br>
><br>
> Malcolm<br>
><br>
><br>
> _______________________________________________<br>
> fitsbits mailing list<br>
> fitsbits@<a href="http://listmgr.nrao.edu">listmgr.nrao.edu</a><br>
> <a href="https://listmgr.nrao.edu/mailman/listinfo/fitsbits">
https://listmgr.nrao.edu/mailman/listinfo/fitsbits</a><br>
<br>
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<a href="https://listmgr.nrao.edu/mailman/listinfo/fitsbits">https://listmgr.nrao.edu/mailman/listinfo/fitsbits</a><o:p></o:p></p>
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