[Numpy-discussion] Questions about the array interface.

[Perry Greenfield]

On Apr 7, 2005, at 6:44 PM, Travis Oliphant wrote:
>
> I can't think of anything you've missed.
>
> I'm very supportive of this, but I have to finish scipy.base first.   
> I think Perry is supportive as well.  I know he's been playing 
> catch-up in the reading.   I'm not sure of Todd's opinion.   I suspect 
> he would welcome these changes to Python.
>
> My preference order is
>
> 1) the ndarray module and ndarray.h  header with these interface 
> definitions and methods. 2) Add array interface attributes to array 
> module
> 3) Flesh out locked buffer API
> 4) Bytes object (with Pickling support)
> 5) Fix current buffer object.
>

I agree as well (I think).  Just to be sure I'll restate. These issues 
are all important, and the the discussion has been very useful to flesh 
out the proposed array protocol. Nevertheless, I'd put the priority of 
getting these into Python, or accepted by the Python Dev community 
lower than actually implementing Numeric3 (aka scipy.base) to the point 
that it acceptable to both Numeric and numarray communities. True, 
subsequent changes forced by the acceptance process may require 
reworking in scipy.base, but I put unification far ahead of getting 
these various components finished and into Python. I think that's what 
Travis is getting at too.

I've been tied up in other things, but frankly, I haven't seen that 
much that I have objected to so far in the array protocol discussions 
to warrant comments from me. I think it has been pretty well done (and 
I'm about to leave town so I'm going to be out of touch for a week or 
so, at least mostly)

Perry