[SciPy-dev] Renaming scipy_core: winner is *numerix*

[Fernando Perez]

Travis Oliphant wrote:
> It looks like the name of the new package will be numerix.  Thanks to 
> all who offered suggestions.   The numerix name is the favorite on the 
> straw poll and in the comments to the list.  There were no deal-breaker 
> negative comments either...

Yes! Thank you, Travis.

> There are a few other people using the name (OCaml library, a financial 
> company, etc.).  There is also a group of Python PETSci users who seem 
> to want to create their own numerical world rather than help make the 
> one we are trying to use better (read Phil Austin's post...).  But, it 
> looks like that Python group is trying to rename their stuff so I don't 
> think it's a problem.  Besides numerix has been in use in matplotlib for 
> at least a couple of years, right?

I don't want to sound hostile, but I completely agree with you on ignoring the 
  group Phil's googling found.  If they can't be bothered to participate on a 
large community effort and contribute improvements but would rather start over 
from scratch reinventing the same wheels, I don't feel compelled to bend over 
backwards to accomodate them.  Robert Cimrman and his gang also had problems 
with sparse support, but their approach was to work (hard) to bring the best 
of the existing libraries over to the new system.  I place a lot of value and 
respect on that.

And besides, on their site there is exactly ZERO code for open, anonymous 
download (you need to create an account to see the code, see 
http://sml.nicta.com.au/crest/tiki-index.php?page=Numerix+SVN+instructions). 
Something about that just annoys me as far as 'open source' practices.

Given that we have historical precedent (matplotlib had numerix before 
July'05) and an open development process where they could have participated 
but didn't, I say:

Go numerix!

Cheers,

f