[Numpy-discussion] Re-implementation of Python Numerical arrays (Numeric) available for download

[Pete Shinners]

Perry Greenfield wrote:

> An early beta version is available on sourceforge as the
> package Numarray (http://sourceforge.net/projects/numpy/)
> 
> Information on the goals, changes in user interface, open issues,
> and design can be found at http://aten.stsci.edu/numarray

you ask a few questions on the information website, here are some of my 
answers for things i "care" about.

note that my main use of numpy is as a pixel buffer for images. some of 
the changes like avoiding type promotion sounds really good to me :]

5) should the implementation be bulletproof for private vars?
i don't think you should worry about this. as long as the interface is 
well defined, i wouldn't worry about protecting users from themselves. i 
this it will be the rare numarray user will be in a situation where they 
need to modify the internal C data.

7) necessary to add other types?
yes. i really want unsigned int16 and unsigned int32. all my operations 
are on pixel data, and things can just get messy when i need to treat 
packed color values as signed integers.

8) negative and out-of-range indices?
i'd prefer them to be kept as similar to python as can be. the current 
implementation in Numeric is nice for me.


one other thing i'd like there to be a little focus on is adding my own 
new ufunc operators. for image manipulation i'd like new ufunc operators 
that clamp the results to legal values. i'd be happy to do this myself, 
but i don't believe it's possible with the current Numeric.

the last thing i really really want is for this to be rolled into the 
standard python distribution. that is perhaps the most important aspect 
for me. i do not like requiring the extra dependency for generic numeric 
arrays. :]