"Simpler" bigfloat and complex bigfloat arithmetic

Barton Willis wrote:
> -----maxima-bounces at math.utexas.edu wrote: -----
>
>   
>> Actually, I was hoping it might be suitable for putting in src.  Why?
>> Take a look at gamma.lisp, and all of the routines Dieter had to write
>> for double-float, bigfloat, complex bigfloat, etc.  They all look pretty
>> much identical, except for the fact that he had to use different
>> operation names for each case.
>>     
>
> Sure, that would be great. Have you tried your CLOS with GCL?
>
>   
The current numeric class doesn' work with GCL.  It seems that GCL is
missing the REAL class.  It has the REAL type, but not the REAL class. 
I don't know why.  It would be best if we could somehow tell GCL about
the REAL class, but I don't know how to do that.  I'll have to change
all the methods specialized on REAL to specialize on FLOAT and add an
equivalent method for RATIONAL.

Ray