Querry on export import of informix

Dear Walt Hultgren I would like you to clarify some of the problems arised in export import facility provided by Informix. The problem is : While exporting and importing, the Informix database gives problems quite frequently. Generally the import function fails with the message "import data corrupted or non-numeric data in numeric field". etc. For example, In one database for banking software,when the existing data was exported and we tried to import the same data, the import function failed while importing a table, at an integer field. Software engineers of Silverline Industries Ltd., who have sold Informix to Union Bank of India, made the following points: "IT SEEMS THAT THE PROBLEM IS WITH DATABASE. NORMALLY THE FLOAT DATA TYPE IS USED FOR SCIENTIFIC APPLICATIONS AND NOT FOR COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS. THE FLOAT DATA TYPE MAY GIVE YOU SOME STRANGE RESULTS WHILE USING THE EXPORT UTILITY LIKE THE ERROR THAT YOUHAVE ENCOUNTERED WHILE IMPORTING. THEREFORE WE SUGGEST YOU TO CHANGE THE FLOAT DATA TYPE TO THE EQUIVALENT DATA TYPE IN DATABASE DESIGN AND PROGRAMS". But We felt that usage of float in commercial application or scientific application makes no difference. In light of the above, we are expecting your guielines at the earliest for which I wiil be thankful. With regards R.S.Parthaje.