numpy (matrix solver) - python vs. matlab

[someone]

On 05/04/2012 12:58 AM, Russ P. wrote:
> Yeah, I realized that I should rephrase my previous statement to
> something like this:
>
> For any *empirical* engineering or scientific work, I'd say that a
> condition number of 1e6 is likely to be unacceptable.

Still, I don't understand it. Do you have an example of this kind of 
work, if it's not FEM?

> I'd put finite elements into the category of theoretical and numerical
> rather than empirical. Still, a condition number of 1e6 would bother
> me, but maybe that's just me.

Ok, but I just don't understand what's in the "empirical" category, sorry...

Maybe the conclusion is just that if cond(A) > 1e15 or 1e16, then that 
problem shouldn't be solved and maybe this is also approx. where matlab 
has it's warning-threshold (maybe, I'm just guessing here)... So, maybe 
I could perhaps use that limit in my future python program (when I find 
out how to get the condition number etc, but I assume this can be 
googled for with no problems)...