[Numpy-discussion] New Operators in Python

[Bill Baxter]

On 3/26/07, Steven H. Rogers <steve at shrogers.com> wrote:
> Joe Harrington wrote:
> >
> > On the other hand, Python, IDL, and Matlab are attractive to us mainly
> > because their syntaxes allow us to see the math, understand it on
> > inspection, and verify its correctness.  The math we write in these
> > languages looks as much like the math we do on paper as ASCII will
> > allow.  (Obviously, we also choose them because we don't like writing
> > loops and declaring variables.)
> >
> > So, whenever I hear someone suggest using a functional syntax for a
> > concept that exists notationally, I cringe.  We're alienating a class
> > of users each time we do that.  Those are people who will never come
> > to Python.  There are extremes to which this argument cannot go - a
> > prime will never be a derivative because quotes are more important -
> > but I think that matrix multiplication is a no-brainer here.  We
> > should let the Python developers know we want it now and then follow
> > up with a syntax and implementation.
> >
> >
>
> Sun's Fortress programming language
> (http://research.sun.com/projects/plrg/faq/index.html) will include
> Unicode operators and two dimensional equations.  Something like this
> should be possible for NumPy.  The question is how much can and should
> be pushed into the Python core language.

Until we get to the point that it's actually harder to find a
non-Unicode console/editor than a Unicode one, I think the idea of
using Unicode symbols as part of the syntax of a general purpose
language is a bad one.

I'm looking forward to see what becomes of Fortress, but it's
basically still an experiment at this point.

--bb