searching a project to contribute to

[Robert Kern]

Clint Norton wrote:
> Hi all,
>     I'm a student currently in the beginning of my master's degree and
> I'm searching for an interesting open source project written in Python
> to contribute to.
>     I have worked as a programmer for the past few years (mostly in
> academia but also as a typical full time code monkey in a commercial
> company), some of it in python, some in Java (commercial companies
> really seem to like Java).
>     Anyway, which python projects would be a good start? I generally
> like working on algorithmic parts or "Business Logic" and really don't
> like doing interface work. The software I like producing has a tendency
> to make use of the random and/or math modules, if that says something
> about the nature of the work I've done... I really want to give
> something back to the community I've taken so much from in the past.

We could always use more algorithms in scipy. scipy is a large, fairly
loose collection of numerical algorithms. Currently we're in a
transitional period; we're moving over to the new array object (yes,
another one), so the website is a bit out of date. Fortunately, scipy is
loose enough that you could simply jump in and implement a new algorithm
without needing to concern yourself much with the rest of the library. I
suggest poking around the latest SVN branches (listed below) to get a
feel of what's already in there, and then introducing yourself on the
scipy-dev list. I can give you more direct advice about what's missing
and what we would like to include.

http://scipy.org/
http://scipy.net/mailman/listinfo/scipy-dev
http://svn.scipy.org/svn/scipy_core/branches/newcore/
http://svn.scipy.org/svn/scipy/branches/newscipy/

-- 
Robert Kern
rkern at ucsd.edu

"In the fields of hell where the grass grows high
 Are the graves of dreams allowed to die."
  -- Richard Harter