Re: [office-formula] euroconvert

[Patrick Durusau <patrick@durusau.net>]

Rob,

robert_weir@us.ibm.com wrote:
> Patrick Durusau <patrick@durusau.net> wrote on 12/02/2009 05:26:49 AM:
>   
>> I assume:
>>
>>     
>>> Converts a number from one to another Euro currency.
>>>
>>>       
>> Should read:
>>
>> Converts amounts of defined currencies to and from Euro currency.
>>
>>     
>
> Converts a Number, representing a value in one European currency, to an 
> equivalent value in another European currency, according to the fixed 
> conversion rates defined by the Council of the European Union.
>
>   
Ah, ok, I was reading "Euro"  as the name of a currency. Silly me.

;-)
>> (Questions for Europeans on the list: Is "Euro currency" the correct way 
>>     
>
>   
>> to refer to Euros as a monetary system? Is the conversion fixed and 
>> where is it defined? We simply say the conversion rate here.
>>
>>     
>
> No idea.  Since the function can be used to convert between two legacy 
> national currencies, not even involving the Euro explicitly, I don't know 
> if we really need to mention the Euro here.
>
>   
So this is a legacy function only?
> As for where these are defined, they are defined by various EC directives. 
>  The big initial introduction of the Euro in 1999 defined most of the 
> conversion rates, but then there are later introductions, such as Greece, 
> Malta, Slovenia, etc., and these each had their rates set by their own 
> individual directives. 
>
> This page at the European Central Bank is certainly authoratative, and we 
> should double-check our conversion factors against it:
>
> http://www.ecb.int/euro/intro/html/index.en.html
>
> However, I would not vouch for the long-term stability of that URL.  It 
> could move tomorrow.  So it is probably best to include our own table of 
> values and refer to the authority generally as "Council of the European 
> Union".
>
>   
Wasn't suggesting that we cite the URL.

If this is *fixed* as you suggest, then replication of the table is fine 
with a citation to the authority.

My concern was that if this wasn't stable, that it reflected conversion 
to and from Euro currency, then replication of a table might not be a 
good idea.

Understanding it as a legacy function changes the wording of the text.

Hope you are having a great day!

Patrick

>   
>> Under semantics we say:
>>
>>     
>>> The function /must/ be able to convert between the Euro ("EUR") and 
>>> various older European countries.
>>>
>>>       
>> Sorry, not "various older European countries." Must mean European 
>> currencies but then those are listed.
>>
>> Unless it is meant that the function converts between currencies that 
>> are not defined?
>>
>> Why would the semantics section say that the function "must be able to 
>> convert" since the function has no meaning if it doesn't do that?
>>
>>     
>
> Sounds redundant to me.  I'd make the clause merely define the semantics 
> of the function and put any mandatory requirements ("shall") in the 
> conformance clause generically as "an OpenFormula processor shall support 
> the semantics of the functions corresponding to the conformance level 
> supported" or something like that. 
>
>
> -Rob
>
>   
>> I suspect there is some other semantic at play but I don't know what it 
>>     
> is.
>   
>> Thanks!
>>
>> Hope everyone is having a great day!
>>
>> Patrick
>>
>> -- 
>> Patrick Durusau
>> patrick@durusau.net
>> Chair, V1 - US TAG to JTC 1/SC 34
>> Convener, JTC 1/SC 34/WG 3 (Topic Maps)
>> Editor, OpenDocument Format TC (OASIS), Project Editor ISO/IEC 26300
>> Co-Editor, ISO/IEC 13250-1, 13250-5 (Topic Maps) 
>>
>>
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>>     
>
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>   

-- 
Patrick Durusau
patrick@durusau.net
Chair, V1 - US TAG to JTC 1/SC 34
Convener, JTC 1/SC 34/WG 3 (Topic Maps)
Editor, OpenDocument Format TC (OASIS), Project Editor ISO/IEC 26300
Co-Editor, ISO/IEC 13250-1, 13250-5 (Topic Maps)