Scientific Computing with NumPy

[Travis E. Oliphant]

greg.landrum at gmail.com wrote:
> Terry Reedy wrote:
> 
>>"kpp9c" <kp8 at mac.com> wrote in message
>>news:1140224495.798167.248550 at z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
>>
>>>Numeric, Numarray, & Numpy... some one stick a screwdriver in my
>>>forehead and end the madness that Numeric has become.
>>
>>>For crying all night! Numpy was Numeric's nickname
>>
>>Given that NumPy *is* an updated version of Numeric, with the same basic
>>interface, I think the name quite appropriate.  It also works well as a
>>partner for SciPy.

Exactly!

I suppose people must vent, but the truth is that satisfying the 
diversity of scientific Python users is *very* hard.

NumPy *is* trying to do something about the confusion between Numeric 
and Numarray.   I'm sorry you don't like the name, but it was properly 
discussed and a host of other names were suggested before settling on 
NumPy as the *least bad*.

Yes, it will be confusing for a few months, but then it will probably be 
*less* confusing as people realize that NumPy *is* Numeric 3K

The interface is not that different.  For example, you can usually 
compile extensions simply by replacing Numeric/arrayobject.h   with
numpy/arrayobject.h

If you don't like things then start suggesting specific improvements at 
numpy-discussion at lists.sourceforge.net instead of just ranting on the 
python list which most of us don't have the time to read anyway (notice 
how late I'm responding to this...)

-Travis