On 25/10/2013 15:34, Benjamin Root wrote: > This has already been done. We have the GridSpec API that everything > else maps to, for compatibility. But most people still like > add_subplot() and subplots() for some odd reason... I think the primary > issue is one of documentation, and we are currently in the process of > upgrading that. We always welcome contributions to that effort!
Hello Benjamin, thanks for your comments. I'm aware of the solutions you propose, but I maintain that the status quo is confusing for new users. The fact that there are multiple ways of doing the same thing, through apparently unrelated interfaces makes the API more difficult to learn and less discoverable that it needs to be. This is probably a conseqence of the organic growth of the library with time. I agree that the primary issue is the documentation, but at the root of that I also feel there is the lack of well established best practices for the use of Matplotlib. For example you write that people still like add_subplot() and subplots() for odd reasons, which are the methods others in the lists pointed to. What would be the proper API to use in your opinion? I believe convergence on best practices is paramount to the update of the documentation. I also don't really buy the argument that it is desirable to keep and promote APIs that try to emulate the Matlab interface. Matplotlib is different enough to make a 1:1 translation difficult and the Matlab design is anyhow broken, IMHO. Best, Daniele PS: with a new job also came the possibility to finally drop Matlab and embrace Python as the main data analysis tool. This means that I can dedicate some (at the moment very few) spare cycles to contribute to Matplotlib. I would be happy to do so! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ October Webinars: Code for Performance Free Intel webinars can help you accelerate application performance. Explore tips for MPI, OpenMP, advanced profiling, and more. Get the most from the latest Intel processors and coprocessors. See abstracts and register > http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/clk?id=60135991&iu=/4140/ostg.clktrk _______________________________________________ Matplotlib-devel mailing list Matplotlib-devel@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/matplotlib-devel
