[Numpy-discussion] Help!!! Docstrings overrun by markup crap.

[David Goldsmith]

On Sat, Mar 20, 2010 at 11:00 AM, Charles R Harris
<charlesr.harris at gmail.com> wrote:
> Example,
>
>>     Compute the qr factorization of a matrix.
>>
>>     Factor the matrix `a` as `qr`, where `q` is orthonormal
>>     (:math:`dot( q_{:,i}, q_{:,j}) = \delta_{ij}`, the Kronecker delta)
>> and
>>     `r` is upper-triangular.
>
> Arrggghhhh... Totally. Unreadable. Why not say the columns of q are
> orthonormal vectors and r is upper triangular? The math tutorial should go
> in the notes, if anywhere. Might mention that this is a 'thin' factorization
> (Golub). Let me propose a rule: no math markup in the summary, ever.
>
>>     Parameters
>>     ----------
>>     a : array_like, shape (M, N)
>>         Matrix to be factored.
>>     mode : {'full', 'r', 'economic'}
>>         Specifies the information to be returned. 'full' is the default.
>>         mode='r' returns a "true" `r`, while 'economic' returns a
>> "polluted"
>>         `r` (albeit slightly faster; see Returns below).
>>
>
> Oh, come now, "true", "polluted"? Sounds a bit political... Actually,
> 'economic' contains info on the Householder reflections. In any case, why
> mention it at all, just refer to the return documentation. And wouldn't
> values be a better word than information?

Mea culpa (at least up to this point) - I'll change it back.

I'm going to stay out of the whole terminal v. higher-tech display
debate: I'm having trouble seeing a win-win.

DG