The `print!` and `println!` macros are now the preferred method of printing, and so there is no reason to export the `stdio` functions in the prelude. The functions have also been replaced by their macro counterparts in the tutorial and other documentation so that newcomers don't get confused about what they should be using.
It is simply defined as `f64` across every platform right now.
A use case hasn't been presented for a `float` type defined as the
highest precision floating point type implemented in hardware on the
platform. Performance-wise, using the smallest precision correct for the
use case greatly saves on cache space and allows for fitting more
numbers into SSE/AVX registers.
If there was a use case, this could be implemented as simply a type
alias or a struct thanks to `#[cfg(...)]`.
Closes#6592
The mailing list thread, for reference:
https://mail.mozilla.org/pipermail/rust-dev/2013-July/004632.html
