[Numpy-discussion] reading *big* inhomogenous text matrices *fast*?

[Christopher Barker]

One other potential downside of using python lists to accumulate numbers 
is that you are storing python objects (python ints or floats, or...) 
rather than raw numbers, which has got to incur some memory overhead.

How does array.array perform in this context? It has an append() method, 
and one would hope it uses a similar memory allocation scheme.

Also, does numpy convert array.array objects to numpy arrays more 
efficiently? It could, of course, but someone would have to have written 
the special case code.

-Chris




-- 
Christopher Barker, Ph.D.
Oceanographer

Emergency Response Division
NOAA/NOS/OR&R            (206) 526-6959   voice
7600 Sand Point Way NE   (206) 526-6329   fax
Seattle, WA  98115       (206) 526-6317   main reception

Chris.Barker@noaa.gov