[boost] Re: matrix library ?

From: Dave Steffen (steffend_at_[hidden])
Date: 2001-03-12 15:49:14

walter_at_[hidden] writes:
 > Toon Knapen wrote:
[...]
 > > _ dense and sparse matrices
 > 
 > Sparse matrices seem somewhat controversial to me. BLAS for example
 > handles only certain types of dense matrices like general,
 > symmetric, banded etc. BLAS does not support sparse matrices.

 I rather like the way Roldan Pozo's TNT library handles sparse
 matrices. There are a couple of different sparse vectors, which have
 different performance characteristics.  (IIRC one is based on
 std::vector, one on std::list, and one on std::map.)  The sparse
 matrices are then templated on the type of sparse vector to use
 internally.  Thus, you can choose the sparse storage scheme depending
 on how you're going to use your sparse objects.

 This certainly doesn't allow for every possible way of handling
 sparse matrices, but it's not a bad start. ;-)

[...]

 > IMHO libraries to mention are:
 > BLAS
 > Blitz++
 > POOMA
 > MTL

 I'd add in TNT, simply on the basis that it's simple.  At least,
 compared with the other libraries mentioned. ;-)

 > One may doubt, whether we are able to determine goals, which
 > justify a boost approach to a new matrix library.

 From discussions on the object-oriented numerics list, just coming up
 with an acceptable interface for a linear algebra library is
 non-trivial.  For example, there's some disagreement about whether
 A*B should denote an inner or outer product.  The mathematicians
 seem to support outer products, while us physicists much prefer
 inner products.

 I personally am very interested in developing a Boost vector/matrix
 library.

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Dave Steffen                      Wave after wave will flow with the tide
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