I think it's unlikely that Clojure would add a complex number type. However, it might be possible to open up the system enough that new types could be created and integrated by others. I think this discussion and implementation from clojure-dev (about unsigned numbers) is pertinent:
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/clojure-dev/QF8P7_DK0rc/p8JOlF3Zs44J In my last posts on that thread, I suggested some of the design and testing work that I would expect Rich to ask about. I did not get the impression that anyone cared enough to contribute further. If there was enough interest, I'd be happy to ask Rich about it. Alex On Monday, April 27, 2015 at 1:46:48 PM UTC-5, Lee wrote: > > Just cheerleading: I, for one, would love for Clojure to have complex > number support, however it can be arranged (built-in or through a library). > > I sometimes do quantum computing work and this issue has prevented > progress on a couple of projects. I haven't tried to solve the problem > myself, and I'm not sure exactly what the difficulties are in detail, but a > couple of strong students have worked on this for me and been stymied. > > I started my quantum computing work in Common Lisp, where complex numbers > are free and easy... and it's frustrating that this (and only this) has > prevented us from continuing that work now that we've switched to Clojure > for almost everything else. > > -Lee > > > > On Apr 27, 2015, at 1:52 PM, Andy Fingerhut <andy.fi...@gmail.com > <javascript:>> wrote: > > People frequently make their own modified versions of Clojure without > having their changes made part of the core Clojure distribution. That is > why I said "depending upon your goals". If your goal is to try it out and > learn from it, and you don't care whether it becomes part of the standard > Clojure distribution, then it does not matter what the Clojure core team's > priorities are, because they are not involved. > > Andy > > On Mon, Apr 27, 2015 at 10:46 AM, endbegin <nkri...@gmail.com > <javascript:>> wrote: > >> As far as I know, Java Math does not have a complex number type. Some >> implementations of a complex number exist (such as Apache Commons Math), >> but they create a Complex class that implements Serializeable and a Commons >> specific interface. >> >> Modifying clojure.core itself is a bit daunting, and like you said, it >> would need to be a priority for the core team. >> >> >> >> On Monday, April 27, 2015 at 12:45:46 PM UTC-4, Andy Fingerhut wrote: >>> >>> Unless the Java Math library handles complex types already, I don't know >>> of any way to extend it in a way that would let you get the answer you want >>> from (Math/abs my-complex-number) in Clojure. >>> >>> If you want code that gives the correct answers, a library using vectors >>> or maps for complex numbers can get you there. Memory footprint and >>> performance should be better with Clojure records or a new class written >>> directly in Java. With a library, I don't know of any way to be able to >>> mix Clojure's arithmetic operations like + - * / etc. with its existing >>> numeric types, and your new library-implemented complex types. >>> >>> Support of Clojure's arithmetic operations on complex numbers might only >>> be achievable by modifying Clojure itself. Depending upon your goals, the >>> down side of that approach is that it will not become part of the normal >>> Clojure distribution unless the Clojure core team wants that addition, >>> which I would guess would be very low on their priority list (just a guess >>> -- I have no inside knowledge there). >>> >>> Andy >>> >>> On Mon, Apr 27, 2015 at 8:39 AM, endbegin <nkri...@gmail.com> wrote: >>> >>>> I have been thinking along the lines of mikera and Maik - and it seems >>>> like there is no further progress here? I would like to take a crack at >>>> creating a complex number type, but implemented as a library to Clojure. I >>>> am not sure where to start, and if anyone here has suggestions, I'd be >>>> happy to hear them. >>>> >>>> A complex number could simply be a vector of two elements, or a map >>>> with :real and :imag keys (or something lightweight) - and I am not sure >>>> what it would require to make this type work happily with code arithmetic >>>> functions in Clojure and Java Math. >>>> >>>> It would also have to work with seq operations in Clojure - for >>>> instance: >>>> If I have a complex number c = {:real 3 :imag 4}, and a vector v = [1 >>>> -2 c], it would be nice to have the call 'map #(Math/abs %) v' produce (1 >>>> 2 >>>> 5). >>>> >>>> I am having trouble figuring out all the pieces that need to be >>>> implemented. Is it even possible to implement this as a library, or does >>>> this need to be a part of clojure.core? >>>> >>>> -- >>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>> Groups "Clojure" group. >>>> To post to this group, send email to clo...@googlegroups.com >>>> Note that posts from new members are moderated - please be patient with >>>> your first post. >>>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>>> clojure+u...@googlegroups.com >>>> For more options, visit this group at >>>> http://groups.google.com/group/clojure?hl=en >>>> --- >>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>> Groups "Clojure" group. >>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send >>>> an email to clojure+u...@googlegroups.com. >>>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >>>> >>> >>> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >> Groups "Clojure" group. >> To post to this group, send email to clo...@googlegroups.com >> <javascript:> >> Note that posts from new members are moderated - please be patient with >> your first post. >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> clojure+u...@googlegroups.com <javascript:> >> For more options, visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/group/clojure?hl=en >> --- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "Clojure" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to clojure+u...@googlegroups.com <javascript:>. >> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >> > > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups "Clojure" group. > To post to this group, send email to clo...@googlegroups.com <javascript:> > Note that posts from new members are moderated - please be patient with > your first post. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > clojure+u...@googlegroups.com <javascript:> > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/clojure?hl=en > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Clojure" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to clojure+u...@googlegroups.com <javascript:>. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > > > -- > Lee Spector, Professor of Computer Science > Director, Institute for Computational Intelligence > Cognitive Science, Hampshire College > 893 West Street, Amherst, MA 01002-3359 > lspe...@hampshire.edu <javascript:>, http://hampshire.edu/lspector/ > Phone: 413-559-5352, Fax: 413-559-5438 > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Clojure" group. To post to this group, send email to clojure@googlegroups.com Note that posts from new members are moderated - please be patient with your first post. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to clojure+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/clojure?hl=en --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Clojure" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to clojure+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
