[Numpy-discussion] F2PY future

[Pearu Peterson]

Hi,

I am in a process of writing a scientific paper about F2PY that will 
provide an automatic solution to the Python and Fortran connection 
problem. While writing it, I also need to decide what will be the future 
of F2PY. In particulary, I have the following main questions to which I 
am looking for suggestions:
1) where the future users of F2PY should find it,
2) how the users can get support (documentation, mailing lists, etc).
3) where to continue the development of F2PY.

Currently, F2PY has three "home pages":
1) http://cens.ioc.ee/projects/f2py2e/ - this has old f2py. The old f2py 
is unique in that it covers Numeric and numarray support, but is
not being developed anymore.
2) http://www.scipy.org/F2py - this covers the current f2py included
in NumPy. f2py in numpy is rather stable and is being maintained. There 
is no plans to add new functionalities (like F90 derived type support)
to the numpy f2py.
3) http://projects.scipy.org/scipy/numpy/wiki/G3F2PY - this is a
wiki page for the third generation of f2py. It aims at adding full
Fortran 90/../2003 support to the f2py tool, including F90 derived types
as well as POINTER arguments. It should replace numpy f2py in future.

Obviosly, the three "home pages" for f2py is too much, even when they 
cover three different code sets. So, now I am looking for to unify these
places to one site that will cover all three code sets with software,
documentation, and support.

Currently I can think of the following options:

Use Google Code. Pros: it provides necessary infrastructure to develop 
software projects and I am used to it. Cons: in my experience Google 
Code has been too many times broken (at least three times in half a 
year), though this may improve in future. Also, Google Code provides 
only SVN, no hg.

Since f2py will be an important tool for numpy/scipy users,
it would be natural to continue developing f2py under these projects.
However, there are rumours of cleaning up scipy/numpy from extension
generation tools and so in long term, f2py may need to look for another
home. So, I wonder if a hosting could be provided for f2py? Say, in a 
form of f2py.scipy.org or www.f2py.org? I am rather ignorant about these
matters, so any help will be appreciated.

Thanks,
Pearu