[Numpy-discussion] median object

[Scott Sinclair]

> 2009/7/7 keflavich <keflavich at gmail.com>:
>
> Hi, I want to be able to do something like:
>
> import numpy
> x=numpy.array([1,4,4,6,7,3,4,2])
> x.median()
>
> rather than
> numpy.median(x)
>
> so that in a function, I can call
> x.median()
> and allow x to be a masked array or a numpy array.
>
> Using the ma.median version by default is something of a workaround, because
> it appears to work on both numpy arrays and masked arrays.  My question,
> though, is: why is median() not implemented as an attribute of the
> array/masked array object, while min/max/mean/std are?  Is there a better
> workaround?

I think the canonical answer is that it's easier to implement a median
function using existing array methods than to implement median as a
method of the array object. I guess no-one has wanted the feature
badly enough to implement it.

I don't know about a better workaround, the ma.median function looks
pretty flexible.

Cheers,
Scott