# Ifort (IFORT) 2021.8.0: \`1.0E+37 / 1.0E+38 = 0\`

**URL:** https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/ifort-ifort-2021-8-0-1-0e-37-1-0e-38-0/4936
**Category:** Uncategorized
**Created:** [December 23, 2022, 12:59am UTC](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/ifort-ifort-2021-8-0-1-0e-37-1-0e-38-0/4936 "2022-12-23T00:59:40Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Showing post:** 17

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### Author: ![FortranFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/96bed5/32.png) [@FortranFan](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/u/FortranFan)
#### Post date: [December 23, 2022, 4:20pm UTC](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/ifort-ifort-2021-8-0-1-0e-37-1-0e-38-0/4936/17 "2022-12-23T16:20:32Z")

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Well, you think is a bug, but without stating as such, Intel folks via @greenrongreen appear to indicate to you it is a “feature”!!

See this comment of mine from weeks ago to @greenrongreen :

> [@Strange behavior of \`ifort\`](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/strange-behavior-of-ifort/4846/31):
>
> @greenrongreen , I was expecting you to state there is a bug with IFORT when -prec-div is not in effect. Please consider the trivial example in the [other comment](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/strange-behavior-of-ifort/4846/23) upthread. Why would x(3) and x(5) end up with different values when they are subjected to the same arithmetic operation? Whereas x(2) and x(4) match up ok?

So my view is what Intel Fortran does with arrays of default REAL type with floating point divisions **violates** the principle of least astonishment (POLA) with software design by Intel, they are asking you to change your compiler options here to get things right rather than getting expected behavior by default or with the ones you have (some of which do make no sense, that’s a separate matter):

> **[Principle of least astonishment](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principle_of_least_astonishment)**
>
> In user interface design and software design, 
> the principle of least astonishment (POLA), also known as principle of least surprise,\[a\] proposes that a component of a system should behave in a way that most users will expect it to behave, and therefore not astonish or surprise users. The following is a corollary of the principle: "If a necessary feature has a high astonishment factor, it may be necessary to redesign the feature."
> The principle has been in use in relation to computer interaction...

`-prec-div` is another compiler option  
you can consider per Intel.

But the lack of response by @greenrongreen to my earlier inquiry re: a bug here suggests Intel is not bothered by POLA here, so that is that!

So you can take it or leave it

Posting multiple cases of the same underlying aspect is not kosher, if you want a change, **pay for a support subscription** to Intel, submit a support request on this, and wait for Intel’s response.

In the meantime, use the suggested compiler option(s) and move on.

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