[Numpy-discussion] Improving Docs on Wiki

[Stéfan van der Walt]

On Fri, Mar 21, 2008 at 2:47 PM, Anne Archibald
<peridot.faceted at gmail.com> wrote:
> On 21/03/2008, Sebastian Haase <haase at msg.ucsf.edu> wrote:
>
>  > Comment:  I have read the module- or directory-name "core" many times
>  >  on this list, however: Who really knows where a given functions
>  >  belongs ?  Isn't that mostly only the numpy svn commiters ?
>  >  In other words, using only the python side of numpy,  someone (like
>  >  myself) would NOT know that sort is inside "core" !
>  >
>  >  Also: since >>> import numpy as N; N.sort  refers already to that same sort:
>  >  >>> N.core.sort
>  >  <function sort at 0x01BACB30>
>  >  >>> N.sort
>  >  <function sort at 0x01BACB30>
>  >
>  >  I would prefer not to require "core" sub-sub-page.
>  >  Instead, every name <X> that is accessible as N.<X> should be
>  >  documented without extra sub-page.
>
>  I don't have a solution, but I would like to complain about numpy's
>  flat namespace. Perhaps we're stuck with it now, but it's very
>  difficult to find the right function. In scipy, I can find the right
>  numerical integration by importsing scipy.integrate and using tab
>  completion, But in numpy, everything is loaded into the base
>  namespace, so tab completion gets me an overwhelming 502
>  possibilities. That's why there's a "numpy functions by category" but
>  no "scipy functions by category" - scipy functions are already by
>  category.
>
>  Is it perhaps possible to make all numpy functions accessible in
>  submodules (in addition to in numpy, for backwards compatibility) and
>  then promote accessing them that way? Are they already? If so how do I
>  find out what the submodules are?

We should definately discuss and consider this proposal for 1.1.  Do
you have a suggested organisation in mind?

Regards
Stéfan