xmax, etc. type commands

I find the following definitions really useful:

def xmin(val):
     a = axis()
     a[0]=val
     axis(a)
     return

def xmax(val):
     a = axis()
     a[1]=val
     axis(a)
     return

def ymin(val):
     a = axis()
     a[2]=val
     axis(a)
     return

def ymax(val):
     a = axis()
     a[3]=val
     axis(a)
     return

I realize that part of the reason behind the pylab api is to mimic what is in matlab. But is there any reason why functions such as these couldn't be added?

Rick Muller - rmuller@...176... - http://www.cs.sandia.gov/~rmuller
Computational Materials and Molecular Biology
Sandia National Laboratories
PO Box 5800, M/S 1110
Albuquerque, NM 87185-1110