[PYTHON MATRIX-SIG] Final conventions for alpha2

[Konrad HINSEN]

> > If we settle for a single default for every function (which I still
> > consider a bad solution), the best test would be to write a lot
> > of code with explicit axis specifications for everything and then
> > count which one occurs most often. I bet that is going to be zero.
> 
> I happen to disagree with you about what such a comparision would
> reveal, but I could see the value in performing it.

That's why I looked at all my code, and found that with a default
of -1 I'd have to add axis specifications to 80% of all function calls.
With a default of 0 I couldn't find any code that would need modification.
I don't claim that my code is representative, but I want to see the
code that benefits from a default of -1 before I believe in its
existence.

> Okay, here's an example of my problems:
> 
> argmax(x) has a natural default axis of -1, right?
> 
> So, what is the natural default axis of maximum.reduce(x)?  If it's not
> also -1, I'd argue that you have a confusing situation.

Why? argmax() and maximum.reduce() are two very different things.
Any reduction is a structural operation with a default of zero.
argmax() is not a reduction, and also returns very different
information (an index rather than an array element).

Konrad.

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Konrad Hinsen                     | E-Mail: hinsenk@ere.umontreal.ca
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