[Numpy-discussion] Splitting MaskedArray into a separate package

[Ralf Gommers]

On Wed, May 23, 2018 at 1:03 PM, Stefan van der Walt <stefanv at berkeley.edu>
wrote:

> On Wed, 23 May 2018 12:29:32 -0700, Ralf Gommers wrote:
> > >>  * Compatibility: MaskedArray objects, being subclasses of `ndarrays`,
> > >>    often cause complications when being used with other packages.
> > >>    Fixing these issues is outside the scope of NumPy development.
> > >
> > Hmm, I wouldn't say it's out of scope at all. Currently it's simply part
> of
> > numpy.
>
> That is currently the situation, yes.  I think this was meant more as
> "we'd preferably not like to think about MaskedArrays any differently
> than we do about other external packages, such as dask".  I.e., not
> support specific hacks to make it work.
>
> > You're missing an important step I think. You're proposing to deprecate
> > MaskedArray completely (or not?). IIRC this has not been decided or
> > seriously discussed before.
>
> Good point, which certainly needs to be discussed.  My thought was to
> move it out into a separate package that could be maintained more in the
> spirit of a scikit by people who care deeply about its functionality.
>

That would be good in principle, but it's only possible that way once the
specific hacks you refer to above are removed. As long as MaskedArray
depends on implementation details of ndarray, evolving them in lock-step
will be necessary. And that is much easier when they're in the same package.

Regarding whether a split-off package will actually be developed, I think
that depends on having at least one champion for it stepping up. If we just
move it over into github.com/numpy/maskedarray, I think it will get less
rather than more attention.

Cheers,
Ralf


>
> Best regards,
> Stéfan
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