NavList:

Bill Murdoch wrote:

"3 MB is far more memory than is really necessary for a celestial navigation calculator unless you write software like one of Bill Gates's employees. "

 

It is more than necessary, I agree, but if the memory is available, what can you do with it? One option is to simply load all the almanac data directly. Then your code is nothing more than interpolation for the exact time. When memory is cheap (and this can be defined in lots of ways that are dependent on many factors in each individual case), there's no reason to avoid using it. The advantage here is that the accuracy is effectively perfect.

 

When memory is expensive, it's better to look for refined algorithmic solutions like the one you described. And of course there's the entertainment factor. Some people prefer certain kinds of code because they personally find it entertaining. Nothing wrong with that!