[PYTHON MATRIX-SIG] Are we talking about one thing or two?

[Hinsen Konrad]

   The natural implemenation would be a multi-dimensional array class as
   Jim is proposing with a matrix linear algebra module to specialize
   this class [for implementing matrix multiplication, matrix
   inverses/adjoints (square and non-square "matrix division") , linear
   ...

Why specialise? That only limits the flexibility of the whole
package. Why shouldn't it be possible to have "inverse" invert
each two-dimensional slice of a three-dimensional array? There
are applications for it, it doesn't cost any extra effort to
do it, so why not do it? Why invent artificial restrictions?

   Is the purpose of this SIG only for implementing a two-dimensional
   matrix linear algebra system within Python or for implementing a more
   general purpose multi-dimensional array class with homogeneous
   elements for easy interface to external scientific and mathematical
   libraries?

I'd say both.

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Konrad Hinsen                     | E-Mail: hinsenk@ere.umontreal.ca
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Universite de Montreal            | Fax:  +1-514-343-7586
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