[Numpy-discussion] Uncomfortable with matrix change

[Alan G Isaac]

On Sun, 11 May 2008, Gael Varoquaux apparently wrote:
> Pluging one annoyance to create another one (IMHO worse), 
> and in addition breaking backward compatibility seems 
> utterly wrong to me. 

I'm a little puzzled by this phrasing.

As Anne pointed out, examples are accumulating that there is 
a *fundamental* problem with matrix handling of scalar 
indexing.  I agree with this.  It is not just an 
"annoyance".  It keeps affecting code that tries to handle 
both matrices and arrays in a generic way.

Your phrasing suggests that the only solution is to live 
with this forever, always cobbling new workarounds, unless 
backward compatability can be ensured for more sensible 
behavior, which it pretty clearly cannot.  Is that your 
current stance?

I suspect part of the problem is that "backward 
compatability" is being interpreted in terms of discoverable 
behavior, rather than in terms of documented behavior.

Alan

PS Earlier I thought you favored raising an error in 
response to scalar indexing of matrices...