[SciPy-dev] genetic algorithm, number theory, filter design,zerofinding

[Chuck Harris]

Hi,

I've decided to start with the zero finders, as fsolve is in general a poor choice in one dimension. This brings up the problem of validating function arguments and I am searching for guidelines.

1: if an argument is a scalar function, should it be checked for return type and argument types and number.

2: should all other arguments be checked, and either be explicitly cast or an error raised if they are of the wrong type.

3: do integers need to be checked for range? I believe python 2.2 no longer distinquishes between int and long integers.

My functions are pure python, so most of these issues are taken care of by the runtime checks --- oh wonderful python, destroyer of niggling detail --- but what about C/C++ code?

Also, is there any way of checking execution time, do we really care?

Chuck