FITS long integer support (was Re: [fitsbits] ADASS FITS BoF on Sunday)

[Preben Grosbol]

On Wednesday 20 October 2004 16:29, Eric Greisen wrote:
> Since many operating systems and compilers do not support
> 64-bit integers (other than in sneaky hidden ways to read large
> files), we should move extremely slowly to explicitly allow them in
> FITS.
I can fully support this view. The only good argument for 64-bit
integers is pointers as uncertainties in physical quantities hardly
can justify such accuracy. So the issue if pointers to the HEAP
or reference columns to rows in tables with more than 2G rows
are important currently.  I would prefer to wait until 64-bit machines
are the default in our community.

Preben Grosbol