[Numpy-discussion] Some questions about dot()

[Bill Baxter]

Some questions about numpy.dot()

1) Is there a reason that dot() doesn't transpose the first argument?  As
far as I know, that flies in the face of the mathematical definition of what
a dot product is.

2) From the docstring:
dot(...)
    matrixproduct(a,b)
    Returns the dot product of a and b for arrays of floating point types.
    Like the generic numpy equivalent the product sum is over
    the last dimension of a and the second-to-last dimension of b.
    NB: The first argument is not conjugated.

2a) What is matrixproduct(a,b)?  I don't see such a function in numpy

2b) What is this "generic numpy equivalent" vaguely referred to?


Seems like it would make more sense to have dot() follow the mathematical
convention of a.T * b, and have a separate function, like mult() or
matrixmult(),  do what dot() does currently.  Is there historical baggage of
some kind here preventing that?  Or some maybe there's a different
definition of dot product from another branch of mathematics that I'm not
familiar with?

Thanks,
--Bill
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