[Numpy-discussion] Possible example application of the array interface

[Magnus Lie Hetland]

Bruce Southey <bsouthey at gmail.com>:
>
> Hi,
> I don't see that it is feasible to link R and numerical python in this
> way. As you point out, R objects (R is an object orientated language)
> uses a lot of meta-data.  Then there is the IEEE stuff (NaN etc) that
> would also need to be handled in numerical python.

Too bad. (I seem to recall seing somehthing about numpy
conversion on the Web pages of RPy, though; perhaps, if one can stand
a bit of copying, the two can be used together after all?)

> You probably could get RPy or RSPython to use numerical python rather
> than just baisc Python.
> 
> What statistical functions would you want in numerical python? 

I think I'd want most of the standard, parametrized probability
distributions (as well as automatic estimation from data, perhaps) and
a handful of common statistical tests (t-test, z-test, Fishcher,
chi-squared, what-have-you). Perhaps some support for factorial
experiments (not sure if R has anything specific there, though).

And another thing: R seems to have vary fancy (although difficult to
use) plotting capabilities... Until SciPy catches up (it hasn't yet,
has it? ;) that might be a reason for using R(Py) as well, I guess.

-- 
Magnus Lie Hetland                    Fall seven times, stand up eight
http://hetland.org                                  [Japanese proverb]