[Numpy-discussion] GSOC 2010

[Jarrod Millman]

On Wed, Oct 21, 2009 at 12:02 PM, Charles R Harris
<charlesr.harris at gmail.com> wrote:
> I don't feel that numpy/scipy did as well in GSOC 2009 as it could have.

I'd be curious to hear why you felt that numpy/scipy didn't do as well
this year.  We had more projects than any other year and I think that
most of the code ended being used.  It could be that the work done
wasn't publicized enough or that the most of the contributions end up
contributed to related projects like in a scikit or (hopefully soon to
be merged work) in cython.  At any rate, I'd be curious to hear more
about your concerns so that they we don't repeat them next year
(assuming the program is run again next year).

> I think this was mostly due to lack of preparation on our part, we weren't
> ready when the students started showing up on the lists. So I would like to
> put together a selection of suitable projects and corresponding mentors that
> we could put on the wiki somewhere and advertise. Just to start things off,
> here are two things that come to mind.

Regardless, better preparation would be a huge help.  Having detailed
lists of summer projects will be useful even if the SoC program
doesn't get approved for next year.

> Python 3k transition. I think it is time to start looking at this seriously.
> Best of breed special functions in cython. These could be part of a separate
> numpy extras package where code is restricted to C, Cython, and Python.

Both of these ideas sounds very interesting.  Personally, I would like
to see ideas like these make there way into fully fleshed out NEPs:
  http://projects.scipy.org/numpy/browser/trunk/doc/neps

-- 
Jarrod Millman
Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute
10 Giannini Hall, UC Berkeley
http://cirl.berkeley.edu/