> There have been a number of language attempts to address the issue of
> user defined dimensions and automated conversions. The problem often
> breaks down to to what is the reference units and conversion 
> to different units measuring the same thing.

I don't see a problem there, compare to Ada fixed point variables.

> Among other things methods in object oriented
> languages were expected to solve this type of problem.

AFAIK only the C++ template mechanism is powerfull enough to
(potentially) do this at compiler time. Think about an expression like

   X = ( X * Y ) / Z

where X, Y and Z are all of the same unit. The expression X * Y is of a
different unit, yet I don't want do explicitly create all the operators
for that unit, nor for the higher units and unit combinations. In fact I
want to create each operator only once.

> Languages like
> logo have the potential to deal with this type of problem 
> fairly cleanly.

at compile time?

Wouter van Ooijen

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