LinearAlgebra traited matrix operations

[KlausC]

The functions *, \ for AbstractMatrix and [rl]mul! and [rl]div! for triangular matrices are equipped with an indirection trait, which allows to call specialized implementations, also if the type of the matrices is hidden for standard dispatch due to multiple wrappers.
This is an effort to remedy the "Abstract Array Fallback Trap".

This PR does not introduce new behavior nor should it worsen runtime for the mentioned functions. But it allows other stdlibs or packages to use own implementations for selected subclasses of AbstractMatrix (for example SparseArrays).

[vchuravy]

Very interesting idea!

In your mind would GPUArrays define it's own StorageType? Or would it also re-use DenseStorage?

[vchuravy]

Suggested change

	abstract type AbstractStorageTrait{T} end
	abstract type AbstractStorageTrait{T} end

[KlausC]

In your mind would GPUArrays define it's own StorageType? Or would it also re-use DenseStorage?

I am not fluent in GPUArrays, but I think all of that could be managed inside that package:

It would define a trait GPUStorageType{T} <: AbstractStorageTrait ...
and method storage_trait(::Type{<:GPUArray}) = GPUStorageType
And of course the new methods for the GPUArrays implementions of the various methods to be supported.
It is also possible to fall back to the dense implementation intentionally, if that is appropriate, but all in the external package.

A paradigmatic use is in JuliaSparse/SparseArrays.jl#354.

[jishnub]

This seems similar in some ways to https://github.com/JuliaLinearAlgebra/ArrayLayouts.jl. Do you envisage combining the two, such that the same traits may be used in both packages?

[KlausC]

This seems similar in some ways to https://github.com/JuliaLinearAlgebra/ArrayLayouts.jl. Do you envisage combining the two, such that the same traits may be used in both packages?

There is the essential difference, that this PR tries to redirect the standard methods *, ldiv!, ... to the correct implementation depending on the storage type of the matrix, while ArrayLayouts introduces new functions mul, muladd! ... to get control over kinds of strided matrices.
In order to combine both approaches it would be possible to use the features introduced in this PR in ArrayLayouts allow the user to call the standard functions and get the implementations from that package.

(All that can be managed inside ArrayLayouts. I think the traits defined there cannot be re-used unmodified, as long as they are not subtypes of AbstractArrayTrait. Probably more appropriate to use a new concrete subtype and keep the others as they are.)

[DilumAluthge]

We have moved the LinearAlgebra stdlib to an external repo: https://github.com/JuliaLang/LinearAlgebra.jl

@KlausC If you think that this PR is still relevant, please open a new PR on the LinearAlgebra.jl repo.