[Numpy-discussion] Re: Please chime in on proposed methods for arrays

[Paul Barrett]

Perry Greenfield wrote:

>
> On Mar 17, 2005, at 2:47 PM, Stephen Walton wrote:
>
>> Incidentally, one can read here why the Chandra X-Ray Observatory 
>> chose S-Lang instead of Python for its data analysis software:
>>
>> http://cxc.harvard.edu/ciao/why/slang.html
>>
> Though I'll note that I think their conclusion wasn't really correct 
> then. It does illustrate the aversion to OO though.

And look how far this back-assward approach has gotten them over the 
past 10 years.  No very far in my opinion.  It has also resulted in 
several user interface changes during this time.

This decision to write most code in a compile language and then embed a 
scripting language in the code is counter to the way Python development 
is done. However, lately they seem to see the error of their ways by 
doing more development in S-lang.

I don't think the CIAO data analysis environment is a good example of 
software design and development.

 --- Paul

-- 
Paul Barrett, PhD      Space Telescope Science Institute
Phone: 410-338-4475    ESS/Science Software Branch
FAX:   410-338-4767    Baltimore, MD 21218