[Numpy-discussion] Current thoughts on future directions

[konrad.hinsen at laposte.net]

On 16.03.2005, at 20:57, Stephen Walton wrote:

> Well, how much is their time worth is then the question?  If they can  
> afford

Not exactly. The first question they ask is how much is the code worth  
that requires them to buy a Fortran license or to install g77. They  
might then well choose my competitor's code that doesn't have such  
requirements. It doesn't help if I tell them that my code doesn't  
require Fortran at all, but that it relies on a library that can't be  
installed without a Fortran compiler.

>  an SGI workstation, I'd think they could afford a copy of SGI's  
> compiler,

 From memory, a compiler license is about half the price of a  
workstation. Depending on particular circumstances (special offers,  
campus licenses, etc.) the prices can be lower.

> I might also point out, not to be argumentative, that the real  
> difficulty is installing gcc.  The extra effort to install g77 once  
> gcc is working is very small.  Are the users you mention doing without  
> C as well?

I guess some do. On all the workstations I have ever used, there was a  
minimal C compiler for recompiling the kernel, which was also good  
enough for installing software, though not necessarily a pleasure for  
development.

> Back when I was administering HP-UX, I found a community supported  
> archive with contributed pre-compiled software in HP's package format.  
>  Is there a similar thing in the SGI community?

I don't know. I have used SGI machines for only two years (ten years  
ago), and in an environment where compilers and development tools were  
considered necessary.

Konrad.
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Konrad Hinsen
Laboratoire Leon Brillouin, CEA Saclay,
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