[SciPy-dev] numpy.random.randint

[Fernando Perez]

Robert Kern wrote:

> I also avoided the "shape" terminology for the "shape" parameters, too, to avoid
> conflation. However, a lot of the probability distributions do have a "shape"
> parameter. lognormal, gamma, beta, pareto, and on and on and on. Anything that
> isn't a location or a scale parameter is called a shape parameter in probability
> theory.

Mmh, 'dshape' as a compromise solution, for the distribution shape parameter? 
  I understand that 'shape' may be the time-honored convention, but given that 
here there is a clash between array.shape and the distribution one, and that 
arrays 'come first' (being the most basic object in all of numpy/scipy), 
perhaps a compromise is acceptable?  It seems easier to tell users  of 
distributions

"the parameter typically named 'shape' in distribution theory is called dshape 
in our library, to avoid conflicts with the 'shape' attribute that all array 
ojbects have"

than to constantly have to sort out the confusion of two uses of the same word.

At least it seems so to me.  But I have no strong feelings on this topic, so 
take this as a simple suggestion, and feel free to ignore it.

Cheers,

f