[SciPy-user] Array Bounds

[Robert Kern]

Jerry wrote:

> In my opinion, this is poor language design (along with Henry Ford- 
> style array indexing--any array you want as long as it starts with  
> zero) and an impediment to writing correct programs. Good design lets  
> the programmer abstract his program to resemble the real-world  
> problem that he is working on. Get used to it or move along--every  
> time I post about this, that's the advice I get. (1) Python arrays  
> will _never_ change; (2) it is blasphemous to even mention it; (3)  
> someone will ask, why in the world would anyone want an array that  
> doesn't start with zero; (4) someone will flame me.

(0) Someone will tell you that you can define whatever classes you like with
whatever index semantics that you like. It's all very well to *say* that things
would be better if one could change the lower index bound at will, but you have
the ability to *show* us, so why don't you? Try it out! Work out the inevitable
kinks with writing generic code that is agnostic to the heterogeneous index
semantics. Show us the code!

-- 
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