[Numpy-discussion] matrix indexing question (final post)

[Alan Isaac]

On Wed, 28 Mar 2007, Robert Kern wrote: 
> People have been giving you reasons, over and over again. 
> You are simply refusing to listen to them.

Exploring whether the reasoning is adequate is not the same 
as refusing to listen.  I do not presume my view is correct. 

> You have a use case for arrays being the iterates.  You 
>are presuming that the only argument that can beat that is 
>another use case for matrix objects being the iterates.  
>This is not true; there are other principles at work.

Put slightly differently:
given the surprising passion of the attacks at the 
suggestion that perhaps iteration over a matrix might more 
consistently yield arrays, I presumed there must be *many* 
instances in which it was obviously desirable that such 
iteration should yield matrices.  So I asked to see some.

In the context of this discussion, I found the (lack of) 
responses very interesting.  Even in your thoughtful 
response it proved irrelevant rather than important for 
iteration over matrices to yield matrices.

I understand that some people claim that a general principle 
of consistency is involved.  I have not been able to 
understand this particular design decision as a matter of 
consistency, and I have tried to say why.  However I am just 
a user (and supporter) of numpy, and as indicated in other 
posts, I make no pretense of deep insight into the design 
decisions.  In this case, I simply wanted to open 
a discussion of a design decision, not win an "argument".

Anyway, I understand that I am being perceived as 
bull-headed here, so I'll let this go.  Thanks for your 
attempt to help me see the virtues of the current design.

Cheers,
Alan Isaac