[Python-ideas] Pre-PEP: adding a statistics module to Python

[Andrew Barnert]

On Aug 2, 2013, at 16:06, Ethan Furman <ethan at stoneleaf.us> wrote:

> On 08/02/2013 03:52 PM, Andrew Barnert wrote:
>> On Aug 2, 2013, at 13:18, Andrew McNabb <amcnabb at mcnabbs.org> wrote:
>> 
>>> On Fri, Aug 02, 2013 at 01:37:58PM -0500, Brian Curtin wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> Like everything else we add, shouldn't a module live in the Python
>>>> ecosystem, standout as the best of breed, and *then* be proposed for
>>>> inclusion?
>>> 
>>> As Steven pointed out, numpy/scipy are best of breed in the Python
>>> ecosystem, but they're too "advanced" for inclusion in the standard
>>> library.  There's room for a standard implementation, but the module
>>> wouldn't be complex enough to require years of development outside the
>>> standard library.
>> 
>> Years of development, no. But a few months on PyPI (with people pointing to it from places like python-list and StackOverflow) would capture a lot wider experience and testing than just a discussion on this list.
>> 
>> 
>> Also, if it's reasonably possible to make the implementation work for 3.0-3.3 (or even 2.6-3.3) a PyPI module will remain useful as a quasi-official backport even after acceptance in the stdlib.
>> 
>> So, I don't think short-circuiting the process is a good idea unless there's a really compelling reason to do so.
> 
> The compelling reasons are listed in the PEP.  The two most important in my mind are:
> 
>  1) easy to get wrong if doing it DIY
> 
>  2) not being able to access third-party code (or only with great pain)

Those are definitely compelling reasons for the module to _exist_, but not compelling reasons to avoid the normal process for getting it into the stdlib.

Is there any reason to believe that this module would not benefit from wider exposure and use before finalizing it? Is it so urgent that we can't afford to wait for that to happen? Is it inappropriate for PyPI for some reason?