[Numpy-discussion] [Numpy-svn] r5198 - trunk/numpy/f2py

[Stéfan van der Walt]

Hi Pearu

2008/5/20 Pearu Peterson <pearu at cens.ioc.ee>:
> CC: numpy-discussion because of other reactions on the subject.
>
> On Tue, May 20, 2008 1:26 am, Robert Kern wrote:
>> Is this an important bugfix? If not, can you hold off until 1.1.0 is
>> released?
>
> The patch fixes a long existing and unreported bug in f2py - I think
> the bug was introduced when Python defined min and max functions.
> I learned about the bug when reading a manuscript about f2py. Such bugs
> should not end up in a paper demonstrating f2py inability to process
> certain
> features as it would have not been designed to do so. So, I'd consider
> the bugfix important.
>
> On the other hand, the patch does not affect numpy users who do not
> use f2py, in any way. So, it is not important for numpy users, in general.

Many f2py users currently get their version via NumPy, I assume.

> Hmm, I also thought that the trunk is open for development, even though
> r5198 is only fixing a bug (and I do not plan to develop f2py in numpy
> further, just fix bugs and maintain it). If the release process
> is going to take for weeks and is locking the trunk, may be the
> release candidates should live in a separate branch?

If the patch

a) Fixes an important bug and
b) has unit tests to ensure it does what it is supposed to

then I'd be +1 for applying.  It looks like there are some tests
included; to which degree do they cover the bugfix, and do we have
tests to make sure that f2py still functions correctly?

I'd like to make sure I understood Jarrod's message from earlier this week:

1) Release candidate branch is tagged -- development continues on trunk
2) Release candidate is tested
3) Bug-fixes are back-ported to the release candidate as necessary
4) Release is made

Another version I've seen starts with:

1) Release candidate branch is tagged -- no one touches trunk except
for bug-fixes

Which is it?  I want to know where the docstring changes should go.

Regards
Stéfan