How to suggest a new Python list? Was: Science list

[A.T.Hofkamp]

On 2007-11-29, J. Robertson <jr244 at kent.ac.uk> wrote:
> Francesco Pietra wrote:
>> I was trying to suggest a more specific mail-list in order not to be floaded. I
>> am the opinion that  python-list at python.org is very informative and useful,
>> though it is hard to find the time for so many mails.
>> f.
>> 
>
> I agree with Francesco: Python is increasingly used in sciences (or, at 
> least, I use it increasingly :-) and it would be of some use to have a 
> communication channel focused on this: there are a few mailing lists for 
> specific niche topics (CAD, XML) already, so sciences could be one more.

So what is the focus in the list?

I think 'science' is both too broad and in many cases not at all relevant for
the problem at hand.



For example,

Should I be a scientist before I can post there?
(If yes, what about: I work as supporting staff, am a PhD student, am a regular
student, have a home work question, think of going to college, just learning
Python that I may need at school).

Any particular brand of science (CS, Math, Physics, Bio, Chemistry, other)?

Should I use Python for programming a science problem?

Should I have a problem in science and want to use Python for solving it?

How are science problems any different from 'normal' problems?

I am writing a parser for a language used in science, can I put it there? (and
if yes, how is that different from writing a language for a non-science
problem?)

I am trying to run program XYZ as a sub-shell, or in a thread, or distributed.
Does it make any difference whether XYZ solves a science problem or not?


I don't see a clear useful line called 'science', but YMMV.

> Some folks that do not want to be flooded by 200 posts/day are going to 
> pop up there and explain how they replaced 60,000 lines of FORTRAN by 
> 100 lines of Python in one afternoon (before the tea break), surely that 
> can't hurt.

If the sheer number of posts is a problem, skip subjects that you don't like,
just like everybody else.

If your mailinglist idea fails you have a nicely quiet corner (but is otherwise
useless). That is however more easily achieved by not reading c.l.p.

If it succeeds, you may easily get the same amount of traffic as you have now
here.


So how is 'science' here a good criterium?

> Anyway, I do not see how to suggest a new mailing list on 
> http://www.python.org/community/lists/ - does anyone know?

Ask at c.l.p. ? :)


Albert