[Numpy-discussion] Re-implementation of Python Numerical arrays (Numeric) available for download

[Todd A. P. Ph.D. <tp...@ac...>]

Thanks for all of your work.  Things seem to be shaping up nicely.  I
just wanted to second some of the concerns below:

> Complex Types:
> ==============
> 
> 1)  I don't like the idea of complex types being a separate subclass of 
> ndarray.  This makes them "different."   Unless this "difference" can be 
> completely hidden (which I doubt), I would prefer complex types to be on the 
> same level as other numeric types.
> 
> 2)  Also,  in your C-API, you have a different pointer to the imaginary data. 
>   I much prefer the way it is done currently to have complex numbers 
> represented as an 8-byte, or 16-byte chunk of contiguous memory. 
> 

The second comment above is really critical for accessing utility
available in a very large number of numerical libraries.  In my view
this would "break" the utility of numpy severely -- recopying arrays
both on the way out and the way in would be extremely cumbersome.

-Todd Alan Pitts