PEP: Adding new operators for elementwise/objectwise operations

[gareth_rees at my-deja.com]

hzhu at users.sourceforge.net wrote:
> This is a Python Extension Proposal for introducing operators for
> distinguishing between elementwise and objectwise operations.

I think that it would be a bad idea if this proposal were adopted.

This proposal achieves only a small advantage for a small subset of
users of Python:

   + greater readability of algebraic operations on vectors and matrices

while introducing disadvantages and risks for all users of Python:

   - increased complexity of language implementation means greater risk
     of defects

   - increased complexity of language definition makes it harder to
     learn and harder to document

   - increased size of Python core makes it less suitable for embedding

Python's simplicity and robustness are among the features that make it
attractive to many of its users.  I think that extensions that make
Python more complex and less robust should be considered very seriously
before being adopted.

Python's module system allows extensions like this to be developed
without affecting people who don't use the extensions.

--
Gareth Rees


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