[Python-apps-team] Debian/Python at EuroScipy -- not urgent anymore request for feedback

[Yaroslav Halchenko]

ok fellas, final version is below.  Any comments/feedback (please limit to
Debian-science list or private correspondence) would be welcome to help
to shape up the actual talk.


π`s in Debian or Scientific Debian: NumPy, SciPy and beyond

Debian project delivers a complete free and open-source operating
system suitable for deployment virtually everywhere: from mobile
phones to high-performance computing centers. Because of the well
known stability and versatility, Debian has not only became the origin
for more than a hundred derivative Linux distributions, such as
Ubuntu: Together with the extensive coverage of scientific packages,
Debian is considered by many to be the best available scientific
platform.

Due to the beauty, versatility, and wide adoption of Python, it is not
surprising that multiple Debian teams and developers focus on
packaging and maintaining of Python-based software.  As the result,
with over 140 packages depending on NumPy, over 30 on
SciPy, and multiple officially simultaneously supported versions of Python,
Debian becomes "the Python distribution" providing the largest
capabilities for the numerical computing in Python `out of the box`.
Such a turnkey solution eliminates majority of the problems often
encountered by users trying to deploy Python-based analysis workflows
on their systems.  With clean description of build- and run-time
dependencies, package build-time testing, and generic QA (e.g. frequent
rebuilds, transition testing) provided by Debian project, scientific
software in Debian obtains additional assurance toward robust
performance after its installation on users' systems.

This talk will cover

* benefits and possible limitations of doing scientific computing
  using Python "the Debian way"
* the current status of Python in Debian: 2.x and 3.x series, upcoming
  transitions, wheezy release goals
* packaging and maintenance of Python modules in Debian: common
  practices, existing standards and procedures
* existing scientific Python applications in Debian: coverage of
  scientific domains, aspects of integration with other scientific
  packages
* reasons and channels to contribute to Debian

This talk should be of interest both for the scientific Python
developers to gain insights on possible benefits from the integration
of their software in Debian, and for the Python "users" to realize
what comes within the Debian box.

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