computers aren't magic

and i shouldn't get so pissed about arbitrary limits. eg, lists can't be longer than 256 elements for what i'm sure is a very good reason. but craaaaap! things looked so good and now i have to totally re-do the data-munging bc lists can't handle the numbers i need. this'll be done in matrices instead, which is fine...but i don't know how to manipulate the matrices and gaaaaaahhhh....patience....patience