[Matrix-SIG] LLNLDistribution13

[Paul F. Dubois]

Dear Matrix-SIGERS,

ftp-icf.llnl.gov/pub/python/LLNLDistribution13.tgz is available for testing.
David and I have tested it on Linux and Windows.

Starting with this release, this distribution ONLY contains Numerical. It
includes the PDF version of the documentation and the tutorial in directory
"Doc".

Here are my plans:

1. Move the sources to an open server. Recent and planned LLNL security
measures have made LLNL a poor choice for locating open source software
sources. I will do this as soon as I can, probably right after IPC8, where I
can talk to some of you about the best way to do this.

2. In the next release, switch to using Distutils for building and
installing.

3. Set up the sources so that all other packages (both LLNL and yours) are
contributed separately. This will eventually include the ones now contained
in the Numerical distribution itself. The reasons are that there are
competing packages in some of these areas, and in fact I do not test or
modify those packages so dragging them along with the core is misleading.

    The standards for packages will include documentation and Distutils
requirements, so that the user has an absolutely cookbook "python setup.py
build install" procedure for each package.

4. I do not intend to supply Windows installers. Once the sources are in an
open spot, I expect a champion to step forward who will do this. Start now.
The inertia of having to make Windows binary releases is a major cause for
my slow releases. I want to switch to Bazaar mode.