Proposal: add vector arithmetic to array module

[Chris Barker]

Paul Rubin wrote:

> Huh?  Adding pointwise addition means you have to add eigenvalues?

eigenvalues are not part of Numeric, they are in the LinearAlgebra
modules (where they should be) The LnuearAlgebra module is generally
distributed with Numeric, but that is part of the batteries included
philosphy. Surely you wouldn't want people ot have to install yet
another package to get Linear Algebra functionality?

> The reason I don't want to use NumPy is that it isn't included in
> standard Python distributions.  It's yet another thing for the user
> to download, and it's maintained and distributed by a separate group
> of people than the Python maintainers.  All in all, it's harder to
> deal with and there's more ways to go wrong.

That is a very good argument for including NumPy in the standard
library, not for duplicating its functionality in the library.
 
> If NumPy became part of standard Python, then I'd happily use it.

Hopefully, it will happen.

BTW, MacPython includes Numeric, and it is part of the extended module
support of ActiveState Python, so it's really not hard for your users to
download.

-Chris


-- 
Christopher Barker,
Ph.D.                                                           
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