Re: New variable type: matrix

Baris wrote:
> 
> Suppose I am a newcomer to perl and my aim is to multiply two matrices
> and I don't really care about regex's or references in perl. Currently
> I have to learn a lot about perl language to begin working with matrix
> multiplication. This seems to me aginst the perl culture. I know pdl is
> very easy to use, but how about somebody who doesn't know anything about
> perl? He will have to first buy an introductory book for perl.

I'm not really against a matrix variable type, but I must say I don't
think this is an argument for one. A person will always have to learn
about any language to harness its powerful features, whether they be
regexes, objects, pdl, or something else. So I don't think the "dumbing
down" argument is a good one.

Not being a PDL'er myself, but interested in learning more about it and
making sure Perl 6 doesn't suck, I'd love to see a bulleted list of what
doesn't work right, even assuming that @arrays were made more flexible.
For example, if you could do this:

   @c = @a * @b;
   @c = @a + @b;
   @c = (@a - @b) * (@d / @e);

What other specific problems remain? TIA.

-Nate