[fitsbits] 64-bit integers

[William Pence]

This reports on the result of the straw poll that was taken during the week
of 25 September 2001 on the issue of adding 64-bit integers as a native FITS
data type.  The possible choices in the poll were:

  YES - I think 64-bit integers should be added to FITS
  NO  - I do not think 64-bit integers should be added to FITS, at
          least not at this time.
  UNDECIDED - I have not yet made up my mind
  NO OPINION - I don't care one way or the other

In total, 29 votes were cast in this poll.  To put this into context, there
are about 50 - 75 subscribers to this FITSBITS mail list, plus an unknown
number of readers of the sci.astro.fits newsgroup.  The distribution of
votes that were received is as follows:

   YES         20    69%
   NO           4    14%
   UNDECIDED    3    10%
   NO OPINION   2     7%
      Total    29   100%

This suggests fairly strong, but certainly not unanimous support for this
proposal. 

Where do we go from here?  My personal opinion is that we can afford to wait
~~1 year and then raise the issue again.  By then, the percentage of computer
platforms with 64-bit operating systems will have increased, and the need
for supporting 64-bit integers may become more apparent.  In the meantime,
the CFITSIO library as well as several other FITS libraries will support
FITS files containing 64-bit integers on an trial basis so that programmers
and users can begin experimenting with this data type if they wish.

-Bill Pence
-- 
____________________________________________________________________
Dr. William Pence                          pence at tetra.gsfc.nasa.gov
NASA/GSFC Code 662         HEASARC         +1-301-286-4599 (voice)     
Greenbelt MD 20771                         +1-301-286-1684 (fax)