SPUG: Working with currency

[Michael R. Wolf]

On Apr 2, 2009, at 8:46 PM, Yitzchak Scott-Thoennes wrote:

> The only pre-existing solution that's going to work consistently is:
>
> Store and manipulate in pennies; only use dollars on user input and  
> output.
> No modules required. :)


A module-less solution was my first choice.  It's elegant (for the  
"small and simple" definition of elegant).

After an hour of digging, I can't find indications (much less an  
answer) on when it's necessary to 'use bigint'.  In other words, what  
is the moral equivalent of MAXINT, or at least a close approximation  
(disregarding whatever legal fine-print exists) for a back of the  
envelope proof-of-concept design?

-- 
Michael R. Wolf
     All mammals learn by playing!
         MichaelRWolf at att.net