[Python-Dev] C-level duck typing

[R. David Murray]

On Thu, 17 May 2012 20:13:41 +0200, Dag Sverre Seljebotn <d.s.seljebotn at astro.uio.no> wrote:
> Every time Cython becomes able to do stuff more easily in this domain, 
> people thank us that they didn't have to dig up Fortran but can stay 
> closer to Python.
> 
> Sorry for going off on a rant. I find that people will give well-meant 
> advice about performance, but that advice is just generalizing from 
> computer programs in entirely different domains (web apps?), and 
> sweeping generalizations has a way of giving the wrong answer.

I don't have opinions on the specific topic under discussion, since I
don't get involved in the C level stuff unless I have to, but I do have
some small amount of background in scientific computing (many years ago).
I just want to chime in to say that I think it benefits the whole Python
community to to extend welcoming arms to the scientific Python community
and see what we can do to help them (without, of course, compromising
Python).

I think it is safe to assume that they do have significant experience
with real applications where timings at this level of detail do matter.
The scientific computing community is pretty much by definition pushing
the limits of what's possible.

--David