[Numpy-discussion] min/max not exported in "from numpy import *"

[Jeff Whitaker]

Zhang Le wrote:
>> I'm going to take a wild-ass guess and suggest that was a concious decision
>> by the authors.  Shadowing builtins is generally a no-no.  You just need to
>> be explicit instead of implicit:
>>
>>     from numpy import min, max
>>     
> I see. But why by default sum is exported? Is that a wise decision?
>
> In [1]: from numpy import *
>
> In [2]: help sum
> ------> help(sum)
> Help on function sum in module numpy.core.oldnumeric:
>
> sum(x, axis=0, dtype=None)
> ...
>
> Zhang Le
>
>   

Zhang:  The reason max and min are not imported by 'from numpy import *' 
is because there are no such functions in numpy.  They are ndarray 
methods now (a.max(), a.min()), there is also a maximum and minium 
function which behaves somewhat differently.  There is still a sum 
function as you have discovered, and it will clobber the builtin.  
Another good reason not to use 'from numpy import *'

-Jeff


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