Re: [Numpy-discussion] Time for beta1 of NumPy 1.0

[Alan G I. <ai...@am...>]

On Thu, 29 Jun 2006, Travis Oliphant apparently wrote:=20
> Please make any comments or voice major concerns=20

A rather minor issue, but I would just like to make sure=20
that a policy decision was made not to move to a float=20
default for identity(), ones(), zeros(), and empty().
(I leave aside arange().)

I see the argument for a change to be 3-fold:
1. It is easier to introduce people to numpy if
   default data types are all float.  (I teach,
   and I want my students to use numpy.)
2. It is a better match to languages from which
   users are likely to migrate (e.g., GAUSS or
   Matlab).
3. In the uses I am most familiar with, float is
   the most frequently desired data type.  (I guess
   this may be field specific, especially for empty().)

Cheers,
Alan Isaac