[Numpy-discussion] Request for advice: project to get NumPy working in IronPython

[Giles Thomas]

Hi,

At Resolver Systems, we have a product that is written in IronPython - 
the .NET Python implementation - and allows users to use that language 
to script a spreadsheet-like interface.  Because they're using 
IronPython, they can access their existing .NET objects and libraries, 
which has worked out really well for us and for them.  But there's an 
increasing number of users who would like access to CPython C extensions 
- in particular, NumPy.

We *don't* want to just hack something together that would just allow 
users of our own product to access NumPy; what we'd really like to do is 
work on an OSS solution that will allow all IronPython users to access 
NumPy transparently, just as if they were using CPython.

My question is, is this something that the readers of this list would 
like to get involved in, either in terms of contibuting, or even in 
terms on advice?  We're under no illusions; this is a significant 
undertaking.  And we're very keen on hearing from those who know NumPy 
better about how this should be structured, even if people don't have 
the time to write code for it.  In particular:

    * How do people feel about a source-code-compatible solution, where
      (perhaps) we would maintain a project that basically provided an
      alternative makefile for NumPy - or, even better, we could work
      with the NumPy developers to contribute a .NET/IronPython package.
    * Would it be better to try for some kind of "binary compatibility",
      where we'd write some kind of "glue" that sat between the existing
      C extension .pyd files and the IronPython engine?  Our gut feeling
      is that this would be much more work, but we might be missing
      something.
    * What should the work's relationship to the NumPy project be?

Any thoughts, comments, or advice would be very much appreciated.


Regards,

Giles

-- 
Giles Thomas
MD & CTO, Resolver Systems Ltd.
giles.thomas at resolversystems.com
+44 (0) 20 7253 6372

We're hiring! http://www.resolversystems.com/jobs/ 

17a Clerkenwell Road, London EC1M 5RD, UK
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Registered in England and Wales as company number 5467329.
Registered address: 843 Finchley Road, London NW11 8NA, UK

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