[PYTHON MATRIX-SIG] Type coercion two more times

[Hinsen Konrad]

   Maybe, but it seems like we're trying to satisfy two conflicting
   constraints, namely, 
    1) providing a nice, consistant array library usable for the
   mathematically oriented (potential) Python user, and
   2) providing easy access to custom, relatively low level number
   crunching and control of C types, i.e. 16 bit speech data, 8 bit
   images, etc.

You seem to imply that the additional types will be used only by
people in group 2. But I expect that C floats will also be used by
ordinary mathematically oriented Python users, whenever memory
or CPU time are more important than accuracy. Most of my numerical
programs (mostly in Fortran) use both precisions, so why should
Python code be different?

   I see. Yes, the question of whether or not to to convert scalars is
   pivotal. If someone is using a type other than a Python numeric
   type, then doesn't that mean they are willing to accept the loss of
   precision? If you have an array_f, do you expect calculations with

Sometimes. There are two situations where I expect problems:
1) Someone uses a library written by someone else, and this
   library uses C floats. The user of this library may not be
   aware of this, or might not care. Until he experiences a
   mysterious loss of precision in his code...
2) Someone wants to use both precisions, and either forgets
   about the coercion problems, or expects them to be like in
   all other languages (which coerce float->double, but not
   the reverse).

Therefore I consider Jim's first proposal (no coercion between
float and double) still the best: those who want both precisions
and do everything correctly get what they want, and those who
make a mistake or have misunderstood the rules get an exception.
I'd rather be surprised by an exception than by loss of precision.

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Konrad Hinsen                     | E-Mail: hinsenk@ere.umontreal.ca
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