From: Ben Harris
Date: Tue, 17 Apr 2007 20:56:43 +0100 (BST)
Subject: [Formal] Rename bitwise-arithmetic-shift to bitwise-shift etc.

submitter: Ben Harris
type: Simplification
priority: Trivial
component: Arithmetic
version: 5.92
summary: Rename bitwise-arithmetic-shift to bitwise-shift etc.

The distinction between "logical" and "arithmetic" shift operations is
only relevant when working with a fixed word-length and both signed
and unsigned numbers.  In those cases, the choice of shift operation
determines how bits inserted at the high-order end of the word are
chosen, with "logical" shifts being useful for unsigned values, and
"arithmetic" shifts for signed ones.  Scheme numbers, as represented
in (r6rs arithmetic bitwise) are of indefinite length and are always
signed, so a bitwise "logical" shift operation on them would be
meaningless on two counts.

In consequence, I think that the following procedures should be
renamed to remove the word "arithmetic":

Page    From                            To
42      bitwise-arithmetic-shift        bitwise-shift
42      bitwise-arithmetic-shift-left   bitwise-shift-left
42      bitwise-arithmetic-shift-right  bitwise-shift-right
38      fxarithmetic-shift              fxshift
38      fxarithmetic-shift-left         fxshift-left
38      fxarithmetic-shift-right        fxshift-right

-- 
Ben Harris

RESPONSE:

Even though the "logical" counterparts do not exist in R5.92RS, they
would make sense, either operating on the two's complement
representation or with an explicitly specified bit field.  For this
reason, the editors chose to make the meaning explicit.