[Numpy-discussion] I want to help with a numpy python 3.1.x port

[David Cournapeau]

Charles R Harris wrote:
> Hi René,
>
> On Fri, Sep 18, 2009 at 6:01 AM, René Dudfield <renesd at gmail.com
> <mailto:renesd at gmail.com>> wrote:
>
>     Hello,
>
>     as a big numpy user, and someone wanting to help with the python 3
>     migration, I'd like to help with a python 3.1 port of numpy.
>
>     We(at the pygame project) have mostly completed our port of pygame to
>     python 3.0 and 3.1 so can offer some insight into what it takes with a
>     CPython extension.
>
>     pygame supports python 2.3 through to 3.1, so it should be possible to
>     also keep backwards compatibility with the port for numpy.  We can
>     also use some of the helper code we used for the pygame port.
>
>     I haven't asked the other pygame developers if they are interested in
>     helping too... but maybe they will be interested in helping too(since
>     they use numpy too).  I'd also be interested in other people helping
>     with the effort.  Once I have put some of the ground work in place,
>     and got a few parts done it should be easier for other people to see
>     what needs changing.
>
>
>     If the python 3 port is something you'd want included with numpy, then
>     I'd like to begin this weekend.
>
>     I'm not super familiar with the numpy code base yet, so I'd like to do
>     it in small changes making small parts compatible with py3k and then
>     having them reviewed/tested.
>
>     I can either start a branch myself using mecurial, or perhaps you'd
>     like me to do the work somewhere else ( like in a branch in the numpy
>     svn?).
>
>     Which code should I base the port off?  trunk ?
>
>
> Darren Dale and I are just getting started on a port and welcome any
> help you can offer.  Because of the difficulty of maintaining two
> branches the only route that looks good at this point is to get the
> python parts of numpy in a state that will allow 2to3 to work and use
> #ifdef's in the c code. What was your experience with pygames?
>
> Because the numpy c code is difficult to come to grips with the
> easiest part for inexperienced c coders and newbies is to start on is
> probably the python code. There is a fair amount of that so some plan
> of attack and a check list probably needs to be set up. Any such list
> should be kept in svn along with any helpful notes about
> problems/solutions encountered along the way.
>
> We also need David C. to commit his build changes for py3k so we can
> actually build the whole thing when the time comes. (Hint, hint).

I will try to update it, but I don't have much time ATM to work on
python 3 issues - one issue is that we would need some kind of
infrastructure so that incompatible distutils changes would be detected
automatically (with a buildbot or something). Otherwise, since nobody
can use python 3 and numpy ATM, the code will quickly bitrot.

Concerning python version, I think 3.0 should not even be considered. It
is already considered obsolete, and we can be fairly confident that
there are 0 numpy users under python 3.0 :)

cheers,

David