[SciPy-Dev] scipy.optimize.anneal - deprecation

[Robert Lucente - Pipeline]

Did not hear back. Not sure how to interpret that. Would really like to know
why anneal was deprecated and why recommend basin hopping which won't apply
for discrete optimization. I realize that simulated annealing requires a lot
of tweeking.

 

From: Robert Lucente - Pipeline [mailto:rlucente at pipeline.com] 
Sent: Tuesday, September 30, 2014 9:45 PM
To: 'scipy-dev at scipy.org'
Cc: Robert Gmail Backup 1 Lucente Gmail Backup 1
(robert.backup.lucente at gmail.com)
Subject: scipy.optimize.anneal - deprecation

 

Hi everyone,

 

I am a newbie to open source and so I am not sure what the appropriate
tribal norms are. So, if the "To" emailing is too broad, I apologize ahead
of time. Please let me know if there is a more appropriate mailing list.

 

I am also a newbie to Python. I haven't gotten much past the hello world
stage.

 

However, as I am poking around, simulated annealing got my attention because
of a project that I am tangentially involved w/. As usual, I love "open
source" because well, it is open. I can look at code and know exactly what
is going on.


I was surprised to learn that scipy.optimize.anneal is being deprecated. It
is a "standard" mathematical optimization technique which is used. Also,
there is a decent amount of literature on it. For some references, refer to
the blog "Simulated Annealing (SA) for Mathematical Optimization
<http://rlucente.blogspot.com/2014/09/simulated-annealing-sa-for-mathematica
l.html> ." The recommendation seems to be to use basinhopping.
Unfortunately, it assumes "smooth scalar function". Unfortunately, this
smoothness does not apply in my case.


I am sure that the deprecation of anneal was given a lot of thought. Is that
documented anywhere or would someone be willing to share why it was
deprecated?


 

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