Yes. However the issues in "scientific computing" are exceedingly
complicated and the number of numerically oriented people who deeply
understand the issues in object oriented design are very limited.
Now should be a time for experimentation and learning, not for focusing
on premature standards. So, by all means, publish interfaces and
discuss approaches, but I don't see how truly useful standards can
be established for many years.
> * If so, can we agree on what these standard interfaces should be?
The numerical computing community is shockingly conservative. (Look
at how many Fortran 77 supporters there are out there :-). Plus there
is a strong resistence to using "libraries" rather then "rolling your
own code". I think we need a generational shift before real progress
can be made.
Barry Smith