Numeric speed

[Josiah Carlson]

You seem to be new at Python, so I'll give you a some information that 
you should know before talking about benchmarking Python:

1. Python is slow.

2. Python evaluates the arguments of a function call before calling the 
function.  That is, when evaluating the following
     sum(xx**1)
xx**1 is evaluated before sum is called.  Those who program and/or know 
mathematics, call this precidence.  Since Python does not include an 
optimizer, xx**1 is always called, even though it doesn't do anything.

3. Your benchmark looks to really be testing the performance of the 
random number generating array function and the sum functions.  I 
believe that both are implemented in C.  Your "benchmark" therefore, is 
benchmarking C vs Fortran.  I thought such things were out of vogue 10 
years ago.  Speaking of which, when will people stop comparing Fortran 
(whose optimizing compilers have had 30+ years to evolve) against Python 
(whose compilers don't optimize in the classic sense).

4. Posting "benchmarks" without posting the entirety of the code used to 
produce the results is fundamentally useless.  Did you use the unix 
'time' command?  Did you use the Python 'time' module?  Etcetera.

  - Josiah

P.S. Python being slower that Fortran or (insert your favorite language 
here) wouldn't surprise me.  While Python has been getting faster over 
the years, the design considerations are for usability first, speed later.