[Numpy-discussion] Numpy Benchmarking

[Travis Oliphant]

joris at ster.kuleuven.ac.be wrote:

>Hi,
>
> [TO]: NumPy uses Numeric's old wrapper to lapack algorithms. 
> [TO]: 
> [TO]: SciPy uses it's own f2py-generated wrapper (it doesn't rely on the
> [TO]: NumPy wrapper).
> [TO]: 
> [TO]: The numpy.dual library exists so you can use the SciPy calls if the 
> [TO]: person has SciPy installed or the NumPy ones otherwise.  It exists 
> [TO]: precisely for the purpose of seamlessly taking advantage of 
> [TO]: algorithms/interfaces that exist in NumPy but  are improved in SciPy.
>
>This strikes me as a little bit odd. Why not just provide the best-performing 
>function to both SciPy and NumPy? Would NumPy be more difficult to install
>if the SciPy algorithm for inv() was incorporated?
>  
>

The main issue is that SciPy can take advantage and use Fortran code, 
but NumPy cannot as it must build without a Fortran compiler.   This is 
the primary driver to the current duality.

-Travis