Re: arrays of floating point numbers / linear algebra operations into the DB

(I had meant also to add that a linear algebra package would help
Postgres to be the mediator for real-time data, from things like
temprature sensors, etc, and their relationship to not-so-scientific
data, say in a manufacturing environment).

On Feb 1, 2008 12:19 PM, Ron Mayer <rm_pg(at)cheapcomplexdevices(dot)com> wrote:
> Webb Sprague wrote:
> > On Feb 1, 2008 2:31 AM, Enrico Sirola <enrico(dot)sirola(at)gmail(dot)com> wrote:
> >> I'd like to perform linear algebra operations on float4/8 arrays...
> >
> > If there were a coherently designed, simple, and fast LAPACK/ MATLAB
> > style library and set of datatypes for matrices and vectors in
> > Postgres, I think that would be a HUGE plus for the project!
>
> I'd also be very excited about this project.
>
> Especially if some GIST or similar index could efficiently search
> for vectors "close" to other vectors.

That would be very interesting as we could play with a multitude of
different distance metrics from Analysis!!! Wow!

> I'd be eager to help, test, debug, etc; but probably aren't qualified
> to take the lead on such a project.

I almost think the hardest part would be to spec it out and design the
interface to the libraries. Once we had that, the libraries are
already there, though figuring out how we are going to handle gigabyte
size elements (e.g. a satellite image) will require some finesse, and
perhaps some tiling ...

Hmm. If I get some more interest on this list (I need just one LAPACK
/ BLAS hacker...), I will apply for a pgFoundry project and appoint
myself head of the peanut gallery...