[Numpy-discussion] Numpy and PEP 343

[Sasha]

Lazy evaluation has been part of many array languages since early days
of APL (which makes this idea almost 50 years old).  I was
entertaining an idea of bringing lazy evaluation to python myself and
concluded that there are two places where it might fit

1. At the level of python optimizer a * x +  y, for example, can be
translated into a call to a call to axpy if a, x and y are known to be
arrays.  This aproach quickly brings you to the  optional static
typing idea. <http://www.artima.com/weblogs/viewpost.jsp?thread=85551>

2. Overload arithmetic operators for ufunc objects.  This will allow
some form of tacit programming
<http://elliscave.com/APL_J/IversonAPL.htm> and you would be able to
write

f = multiply + multiply
f(x, y, z, t)

and have it evaluated without temporaries.  Both of these ideas are
from the pie-in-the-sky variety.

On 2/28/06, Paul F. Dubois <paul at pfdubois.com> wrote:
> You're reinventing C++ expression templates, although since Python is
> dynamically typed you don't need templates. The crucial feature in C++
> that lets it all work is that you can override the action for assignment.
>
> a = b*c + d*e
>
> If we could realize we were at the "equals" sign we could evaluate the
> RHS, and assign it to a.
>
> This is not possible in Python; to make is possible would require
> slowing down regular assignment, which is perhaps a definition of bad.
>
> a[...] = RHS
>
> could be overridden but it is ugly and 'naive' users will forget.
>
> a := RHS
>
> could be added to the language with the semantics that it tries to do
> a.__assignment__(RHS) but Guido told me no long ago. (:->. Also, you
> might forget the : in :=.
>
> a.assign(RHS)
>
> would also work but then the original statement would produce a strange
> object with surprising results.
>
> David M. Cooke wrote:
> > Tim Hochberg <tim.hochberg at cox.net> writes:
> >
> >> <pie-in-the-sky>
> >>
> >> An idea that has popped up from time to time is delaying evalution of
> >> a complicated expressions so that the result can be computed more
> >> efficiently. For instance, the matrix expression:
> >>
> >> a = b*c + d*e
> >>
> >> results in the creation of two, potentially large, temporary matrices
> >> and also does a couple of extra loops at the C level than the
> >> equivalent expression implemented in C would.
> >>
> >> The general idea has been to construct some sort of psuedo-object,
> >> when the numerical operations are indicated, then do the actual
> <snip>
>
>
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