[PYTHON MATRIX-SIG] NASA Research Announcement - Astrophysics Data Program

[L. Busby]

[ Paul Barrett said ]
>One week ago, NASA Research Announcement 97-OSS-02 was released.  This
[ etc. ]

We've been taking some initial steps in a similar direction to your
proposal, Paul.  We have established a local CVS repository for Python
+ NumPy + Gist + <various other modules/patches useful for
scientists>.  We had two uses in mind when we put this together:  One
is to give us a sandbox where we could conveniently experiment with
additions and changes to Python, specifically (but not limited to)
better support and integration of C++.  Second, we hope the repository
will give us a handle on the afore-mentioned difficult problem of
configuring all the various components of Numerical Python into a
single build area.  E.g., we want to be able to

  cvs co python;cd python; configure; make

and get all the usual pieces in the package.  CVS, and CVS modules,
seems like a plausible way to organize all the parts, and they provide
a controlled means to expand the distribution over time.  I should
emphasize here that we *don't* intend to establish alternative
version(s) to Standard Python.  Putting the source in a code management
system is a means to support our research, while still allowing us to
closely track new releases from python.org.

We are interested in making our repository available to selected
researchers outside LLNL.  At the present time, you would need to apply
for an account on our network, and you'd need to have cvs and ssh
clients available on your local machine.  An alternative might be to
establish one or more mirror sites, perhaps at your location.
Regardless of repository access, we will certainly make periodic
"combined source" releases available on our anonymous ftp site.

The notion of providing pre-built binaries is intriguing, but it is not
presently a priority for us.  On the other hand, Thomas Esser's teTeX
distribution is a sort of existence proof that it can be done.

Good luck with your proposal.  I hope that our work in this area may
turn out to be mutually beneficial.

Lee

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