[Numpy-discussion] Re: [SciPy-user] Current thoughts on future directions

[Chris Barker]

Travis Oliphant wrote:
> I'm of the opinion that f2py and weave should go into the core.
<(6 good points)>

The act of putting something into the core will encourage people to use 
it. My understanding of the idea of the core is that it is minimal set 
of packages that various developers can use as a basis for their domain 
specific stuff. One barrier to entry for people currently using the 
whole of SciPy is the ease of installation issue, and f2py and weave are 
easy to install, so that's not a problem.

However, if I understand it correctly, neither weave nor f2py is the 
least bit useful without a compiler. If they are in the core, you are 
encouraging people to use them in their larger packages, which will then 
impose a dependency on compilers. This seems to me not to fit in with 
the purpose of the core, which is to be a SINGLE, robust, 
easy-to-install dependency that others can build on.

I suggest that weave and f2py go into a "devel" or "high-performance" 
package instead.

-Chris




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Christopher Barker, Ph.D.
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