[Numpy-discussion] Removing datetime support for 1.4.x series ?

[Travis Oliphant]

Given all the discussions that have happened.  I want to be clear  
about my proposal.  It is:

* 1.4.1 is an ABI break including datetime, hasobject, and a few place- 
holders in the structures
* no future ABI breakages until after the Py3K transition (at least 18  
months away) -- I don't foresee any future ABI changes at all, nor do  
I think we will need any ABI changes in the next 2 years.
* 1.3.9 is a release with all the features of 1.4 except the ABI  
breaking date-time addition
* 1.3.9 release occurs as soon as we can get it out (like next week  
--- I will commit Monday-Tuesday to do the date-time removal).
* 1.4.1 release occurs as soon as we can get it out with all the ABI  
changes we know about (which are already in 1.4.0 --- we just bump up  
the ABI version number).  I would estimate a release by the end of  
February.

I think this plan is the least disruptive and satisfies the concerns  
of all parties in the discussion.  The other plans that have been  
proposed do not address my concerns of keeping the date-time changes  
and keeping the ABI disruption to an isolated point in the NumPy  
timeline.   The other plans call for an additional ABI disruption in  
May and then perhaps more after Py3K.   I don't see how this is better.

-Travis