switching to numpy and failing, a user story

[sturlamolden]

greg.landrum at gmail.com wrote:

> Given the quality of python's (free) documentation and how good it's
> been for a very long time, it's bit ironic to be using the phrase
> "normal open-source documentation" on this mailing list. Numeric
> python, which numpy aspires to be a replacement for, has perfectly
> reasonable documentation. It wasn't perfect, but it told you pretty
> much everything you needed to know to get started, use the system, and
> build extension modules. I guess this set my expectations for NumPy.


NumPy is perhaps the most well thought array object known to man. That
includes those of Matlab, Fortran 95 and C++ libraries (e.g. Blitz++).
I don't think we should be modest about the quality of NumPy. NumPy
allows us to do serious number crunching in a well designed language -
Python. Scientists pay thosands of dollars for software that are not
par with NumPy, and we get NumPy for free.

Those involved in the development of NumPy must receive some
compensation. Financial support to NumPy also ensure that the
developmentcan continue. I for one does not want to see NumPy as
abandonware in the near future. Unfortunately, getting scientists to
make volounteer financial contributions to an open-source project has
proven difficult. A modest charge for the documentation is a fair way
of doing things. I can not be reimbursed by my employer for making a
donation to NumPy, so I would have to take that out of my own pocket. I
can be reimbursed for buying a copy of the documentation, however.