Patch generally improves speed of conveniences (constructors) for creating zero vectors. Fastest route seems to usually be the .zero_vector() method of a module, which just barely beats coercing a zero scalar into the module most of the time.
The zero_vector() *constructor function* now uses the .zero_vector() *method*, and the vector() method short-circuits to return a zero vector just as soon as possible. The multi-format capabilities of the vector() constructor require some necessary overhead, which seems to be a constant 30 micro-seconds on my machine.
Additions to documentation provide advice for the truly speed-hungry.
4.7.1, without patch:
sage: n = 1000
sage: timeit("(ZZ^n).zero_vector()")
625 loops, best of 3: 69.9 µs per loop
sage: timeit("(ZZ^n)(0)")
625 loops, best of 3: 74.6 µs per loop
sage: timeit("zero_vector(ZZ, n)")
125 loops, best of 3: 2.55 ms per loop
sage: timeit("vector(ZZ, n)")
125 loops, best of 3: 2.52 ms per loop
sage: n = 10000
sage: timeit("(ZZ^n).zero_vector()")
625 loops, best of 3: 613 µs per loop
sage: timeit("(ZZ^n)(0)")
625 loops, best of 3: 617 µs per loop
sage: timeit("zero_vector(ZZ, n)")
25 loops, best of 3: 24.8 ms per loop
sage: timeit("vector(ZZ, n)")
25 loops, best of 3: 24.9 ms per loop
4.7.1, with patch:
sage: n = 1000
sage: timeit("(ZZ^n).zero_vector()")
625 loops, best of 3: 73.9 µs per loop
sage: timeit("(ZZ^n)(0)")
625 loops, best of 3: 77.2 µs per loop
sage: timeit("zero_vector(ZZ, n)")
625 loops, best of 3: 78.1 µs per loop
sage: timeit("vector(ZZ, n)")
625 loops, best of 3: 109 µs per loop
sage: n = 10000
sage: timeit("(ZZ^n).zero_vector()")
625 loops, best of 3: 624 µs per loop
sage: timeit("(ZZ^n)(0)")
625 loops, best of 3: 621 µs per loop
sage: timeit("zero_vector(ZZ, n)")
625 loops, best of 3: 624 µs per loop
sage: timeit("vector(ZZ, n)")
625 loops, best of 3: 654 µs per loop
