[Python-ideas] Pre-PEP: adding a statistics module to Python

[Andrew Barnert]

On Aug 2, 2013, at 13:18, Andrew McNabb <amcnabb at mcnabbs.org> wrote:

> On Fri, Aug 02, 2013 at 01:37:58PM -0500, Brian Curtin wrote:
>> 
>> Like everything else we add, shouldn't a module live in the Python
>> ecosystem, standout as the best of breed, and *then* be proposed for
>> inclusion?
> 
> As Steven pointed out, numpy/scipy are best of breed in the Python
> ecosystem, but they're too "advanced" for inclusion in the standard
> library.  There's room for a standard implementation, but the module
> wouldn't be complex enough to require years of development outside the
> standard library.

Years of development, no. But a few months on PyPI (with people pointing to it from places like python-list and StackOverflow) would capture a lot wider experience and testing than just a discussion on this list. 

> 

Also, if it's reasonably possible to make the implementation work for 3.0-3.3 (or even 2.6-3.3) a PyPI module will remain useful as a quasi-official backport even after acceptance in the stdlib.

So, I don't think short-circuiting the process is a good idea unless there's a really compelling reason to do so.