[Python-Dev] Re: Priority queue (binary heap) python code

François Pinard pinard@iro.umontreal.ca
29 Jul 2002 21:46:34 -0400


[Guido van Rossum]

> [...] I admire the compactness of his code.  I believe that this would make
> a good addition to the standard library, as a friend of the bisect module.
> [...]  The only change I would make would be to make heap[0] the lowest
> value rather than the highest.  I propose to call it heapq.py.

[Kevin O'Connor]

> Looks good to me.

In case you going forward with `heapq', and glancing through my notes, I see
that "Courageous" implemented a priority queue algorithm as a C extension,
and discussed it on python-list on 2000-05-29.

I'm not really expecting that you aim something else than a pure Python
version, and I'm not pushing nor pulling for it, as I do not have an opinion.
In any case, I'll keep these messages a few more days: just ask, and I'll
send you a copy of what I saved at the time.


P.S. - I'm quickly loosing interests in these bits of C code meant for
speed, as if I ever need C speed, the wonderful Pyrex tool (from Greg Ewing)
gives it to me while allowing the algorithm to be expressed in a language
close to Python.  I even wonder if Pyrex could not be a proper avenue for
the development of some parts of the Python distribution itself.

-- 
François Pinard   http://www.iro.umontreal.ca/~pinard