Numeric or numarray?

[Fernando Perez]

gong li wrote:

> hi
> 
> im a python newbie, i have a few questions. i am attempting to write
> some numerical code (high dimensional monte carlo integration) using
> python, to see how it performs and to learn the  language.  at the numpy
> sourceforge, it appears there are 2 versions, numarray 0.5 and Numeric
> 23.  numeric 23 installed on my machine (slackware9) but numarray
> complained about some filename etc.
> 
> 1. the readme says that previous version of numarray must be   removed,
> is it referring to Numeric also?
> 
> 2. which package should i use?

Stick to numeric for now.  You're just learning, so you won't be going too deep
into the C api yet.
> 
> 3. whats the status of these projects?

Numarray will replace numeric when it becomes stable.  But numeric is in wide
enough use that if a significant bug comes up, it will probably be fixed.  But
numeric is being kept only in a transitional state, while the development of
numarray is completed.

Best,

f.