[Numpy-discussion] Changing the distributed binary for numpy 1.0.4 for windows ?

[Robert Kern]

David Cournapeau wrote:
> On Dec 12, 2007 2:58 AM, Christopher Barker <Chris.Barker at noaa.gov> wrote:
>> David Cournapeau wrote:
>>>> I think this idea is the way to go (maybe along with an ACML build, but my
>>>> limited testing seemed to indicate that MKL works on AMD CPUs).
>>>>
>>> I am personally totally against it. It is one thing to support
>>> proprietary software, that's quite another to build our official
>>> binaries against it. I consider myself far from any kind of open
>>> source zealot, but that would be crossing a line I would much prefer
>>> avoiding to cross.
>> Interesting -- I DO consider myself a kind of Open Source Zealot -- and
>> this doesn't bother me a bit.
>>
>> It would bother me a LOT if numpy could only be built against this lib,
>> and not an Open Source one -- but I don't see this as any different than
>> providing a binary built with the Microsoft compiler.
>>
> For me it is: when using a MS compiler, you are not forcing people to
> use a non open source product (except maybe the C runtime). What will
> happen if we offer binaries using MKL ? The ATLAS will not be tested
> anymore on windows, it forces every developer to use the MKL to
> support it.... At least, now, with atlas problems, I can reproduce the
> problems. With the MKL, not so much.

I agree. The official-official Win32 binaries (numpy-<version>-py<pyversion>.msi
and numpy-<version>-py<pyversion>-win32.egg on the SourceForge donwload page)
should be unencumbered. Other versions can be on the download page, too, but
they should be named differently, like numpy-mkl-<version>-... .

-- 
Robert Kern

"I have come to believe that the whole world is an enigma, a harmless enigma
 that is made terrible by our own mad attempt to interpret it as though it had
 an underlying truth."
  -- Umberto Eco