Needed in Sage is
- a rewrite in Cython, for speed,
- special decoding algorithms, also in Cython,
- for special decoders, it seems to me that one either needs
- more classes (eg, a CyclicCodes class), each of which will have a decode method, or
- another attribute, such as a name (string) which can be used to determine which decoder method to use.
- codes over Rings (Cesar Agustin Garcia Vazquez is working on this)
- codes defined from finite groups fings – for example split group codes,
- a fast minimum distance function (followed by a fast weight distribution function), valid for all characteristics.
It seems more “Pythonic” to add more classes for decoders, but I am not sure.
Any suggestions for somebody seriously thinking of try to develop some kind of Risch Algorithm code for Sage this summer?
I would email the sage-devel list http://www.sagemath.org/help-groups.html and explain your detailed plan. Comments there would be much more valuable to the community than in this blog anyway.
Thanks for working to improve Sage!