[Numpy-discussion] What is the different between nanmin and min ?

[Robert Kern]

Timothy Hochberg wrote:

> The time is one issue. Another is that ignoring NaNs is only correct if
> you are treating NaNs as missing values. If instead you are treating
> them as non numbers, the results of some bogus computation, then raising
> an error is a more appropriate response. If one was going to take the
> time to check for NaNs, one strategy that I would probably support would
> be to ignore the NaNs, but set the invalid flag. If the error state for
> invalid was set to ignore, then this would work as the missing value
> camp likes, otherwise it would raise an error or signal a warning.

I'd almost be willing to make max() and min() always ignore quiet NaNs. The C99
standard requires this, for example, (c.f. section F.9.9.2 of the C99 standard).

-- 
Robert Kern

"I have come to believe that the whole world is an enigma, a harmless enigma
 that is made terrible by our own mad attempt to interpret it as though it had
 an underlying truth."
  -- Umberto Eco