[Numpy-discussion] Making numpy sensible: backward compatibility please

[Ondřej Čertík]

On Sat, Sep 29, 2012 at 2:16 AM, Gael Varoquaux
<gael.varoquaux at normalesup.org> wrote:
> On Fri, Sep 28, 2012 at 07:37:35PM -0600, Charles R Harris wrote:
>>     +1, I think we should endeavor to have a respectful and welcoming
>>     community.
>
>> With a bit of humour now and then among the old timers, no? Look, I've been
>> outright insulted on the list and I don't recall anyone weighing in about
>> civility at the time. But nor am I a tender flower. But we are going way off
>> topic, no?
>
> I think that Chuck and I know each other well enough to understand that
> this pique is not intended to be disrespectful and is full of humour. I
> bystander might feel different, but I am actually laughing and smiling at
> Chuck's answer. I know that he is serious and means it, and respect his
> point of view I somehow feel that this is just a very opinionated way of
> expressing his enthusiasm about numpy, almost like a Frenchman would do
> :}.
>
> Chuck: point taken. I agree with some of your points, and I am certainly
> not taking it badly. I know you well enough to know that you are an
> enthusiastic, and very friendly person who invests a lot of time in
> numpy. Next time I see you, I owe you a beer for making you cross :). I
> should be at scipy next year. I'll settle my debt in beer hopefully, if I
> have the chance to see you.

I agree with what Fernando wrote above. If possible, please let's keep
the emails
respectful. I am glad that you didn't get offended Gael and I am sure
that you Chuck wouldn't be either with such a response. However, for me,
as a newcomer to the numpy development, I didn't know that you Chuck and Gael
know each other well. And even if you know each other well and while
it's ok with
either of you, it might not be for other people, and it definitely
creates an unwelcoming
atmosphere on the mailinglist.

If I can offer a suggestion that works for me --- I personally love to
say what I frankly think,
and I am not against swear words at all, I believe it's better to
express what I think in one
simple word, than in two paragraphs --- but it only works over a beer
if I know that nobody
will get offended. Over private email it's harder and on public
mailinglist, where a lot of
people will read it who have never met me, it's counter productive.



Chuck, Gael, here is my todo list for the 1.7.0 release:

https://github.com/numpy/numpy/issues/396

Is there anything missing in terms of backwards compatibility? Gael,
if you have a minute, would you mind creating issues for things that
broke since the 1.6.2 release that are not mentioned in #396 yet? It's
my top priority to make sure that as little things break as possible
by the new 1.7.0 release, that's also why we decided to release two
beta versions to give people more chance to test it well.

My apologies that it has taken me longer than it should have to get it
all done.

Ondrej

P.S. For beers I would love to join both of you anytime. :)