[IPython-dev] Qt/Curses interfaces future: results of the weekend mini-sprint (or having fun with 0mq)

[Brian Granger]

Chris,

>> The basic issue we need to solve is the ability to have out-of-process
>> interfaces that are efficient, simple to develop,  and that support
>> fully asynchronous operation.
>
> This is absolutely fabulous!

We agree!

>> We want the user-facing client (be it readline-, curses- or qt-based)
>
> or wx-based?

Yes, of course.  But, we should be clear of an important point.
Because this new approach uses the 2 process model, the GUI used by
the frontend could be different from the GUI used by the kernel (where
use code is run).  Thus, a Qt-based frontend GUI could drive a kernel
that uses wx for matplotlib/traits/etc.
There will be complete flexibility in this.  Obviously, someone would
have to step up and implement a wx based frontend though.

> Do you have any idea when this might be ready to mess around with for us
> more casual users? i.e. integrated with iPython

We realize this is a *huge* thing that many IPython users want ASAP
and we want it too.  In the past, it looked like a *massive* amount of
work.  With the new 0MQ based approach, the work should go much
faster.  With that said there is still a fair amount of work to do:

* People have to write the various frontends they want.  Fernando and
I are not highly skilled at GUI work, so we are hoping others can help
with this.
* Fernando, myself and other IPython core people still have to do more
work on IPython's core to get this new mode fully working.

We are planning to continue to pick away at this, but if you or others
have any funding ideas (that would help us to prioritize this work
over the many other things we have going on), please let us know.

Bottom line: it will be a while before regular users are using this
stuff, but more man power and $ will speed things along.

> Also, if I read this right, you're building a tool that should be used
> every python IDE out there -- most of which greatly suffer from the
> in-process model.

Yep!  That is definitely our vision.

Cheers,

Brian

> -Chris
>
>
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-- 
Brian E. Granger, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Physics
Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo
bgranger at calpoly.edu
ellisonbg at gmail.com