Re: [Python-Dev] 2.7 Release? 2.7 == last of the 2.x line?

[Sturla Molden]

I'd just like to mention that the scientific community is highly 
dependent on NumPy. As long as NumPy is not ported to Py3k, migration is 
out of the question. Porting NumPy is not a trivial issue. It might take 
a complete rewrite of the whole C base using Cython. NumPy's ABI is not 
even PEP 3118 compliant. Changing the ABI for Py3k might break extension 
code written for NumPy using C. And scientists tend to write CPU-bound 
routines in languages like C and Fortran, not Python, so that is a major 
issue as well. If we port NumPy to Py3k, everyone using NumPy will have 
to port their C code to the new ABI. There are lot of people stuck with 
Python 2.x for this reason. It does not just affect individual 
scientists, but also large projects like IBM and CERN's blue brain and 
NASA's space telecope. So please, do not cancel 2.x support before we 
have ported NumPy, Matplotlib and most of their dependant extensions to 
Py3k. The community of scientists and engineers using Python is growing, 
but shutting down 2.x support might bring an end to that.

Sturla Molden

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