Hi,
I thought I'd chime in on this discussion -- Adrian Price-Whelan and I put
together plotornot during the SciPy sprints.
I wouldn't advocate for linking to plotornot from matplotlib -- the idea is
semi tongue-in-cheek, and meant to gauge to what extent there is consensus
about plot styles. It's not set up to teach about rcParams, nor does it
systematically explore all possible styles. The votes (>10K, last I
checked) are saved, and eventually Adrian or I will look over the feedback
and report back to you all. I haven't had time for that yet. I hope the
name didn't *actually* offend anyone.
At the risk of sounding unappreciative of MPL (which I love, and rely upon
daily), I must admit I was disheartened after hearing the MPL devs at SciPy
discuss styles and defaults. I understand that you don't want to change the
default styles without a clearly better alternative. I also understand
that, to some extent, style preferences are subjective. However, there
seemed to be quite a bit of resistance to the idea that MPL defaults should
change *at all.*
Even if you ignore the subjective component of this (which I think is a
mistake, since in my experience there is broad consensus that projects like
ggplot2, d3, tableau, and spotfire do a "better" job than MPL at styling),
there are some well-established visual principles that matplotlib violates.
Some of my biggest pet peeves are:
1) The default 'axes.color_cycle' values should be equally visible, with
similar luminance values. The current defaults (bgrcmyk) do not have this
property -- c and y are harder to see, and thus carry less visual emphasis.
A color table like the "Dark2" color brewer table (
http://learnr.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/colours-dark2.png,
colorbrewer2.org) is more uniform, and carefully designed for visibility
and contrast. 'rgbcmyk' is clearly an arbitrary choice -- why not use a
smarter default?
2) The default 'jet' colormap for images has a lot of poor properties
(which is even mentioned on the MPL docs at
http://matplotlib.org/api/pyplot_summary.html#id1). The brain is bad at
ordering changes in hue (which is bigger -- purple or yellow?), and better
at ordering changes in intensity or saturation. A colleague of mine
designed a visualization tool for doctors, and found that the rainbow color
table had a dramatic negative effect on the effectiveness of the tool (you
can watch her TED talk about this at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kU7veyGGps4&t=440s). The jet default is
especially frustrating, since it *cannot* be modified via rcParams
3) Some of the defaults violate Tufte principles like minimizing "chart
junk." For example, the 'stepfilled' mode for hist is probably better than
the default, which draws vertical lines between every bin. Those lines make
the histogram noisier -- do they convey any extra information? Again, this
can't be tweaked via rcParams.
Sorry for being long-winded -- I just want to make the case that this is an
important (and not *entirely* subjective) issue. If nothing else, it would
be great to see some clear statement about where the MPL devs stand on this
issue -- what criteria must be met to consider a change to the defaults? My
apologies if such a document already exists somewhere!
Cheers,
Chris Beaumont
On Sat, Jul 20, 2013 at 3:03 PM, <
matplotlib-devel-requ...@lists.sourceforge.net> wrote:
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> Today's Topics:
>
> 1. Re: Plot or Not: voting to create better matplotlibrc
> (Eric Firing)
> 2. Re: How to use STIX fonts in matplotlib plots? (Eric Firing)
> 3. Re: Plot or Not: voting to create better matplotlibrc
> (Benjamin Root)
> 4. Re: How to use STIX fonts in matplotlib plots? (Benjamin Root)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2013 08:20:11 -1000
> From: Eric Firing <efir...@hawaii.edu>
> Subject: Re: [matplotlib-devel] Plot or Not: voting to create better
> matplotlibrc
> To: matplotlib-devel@lists.sourceforge.net
> Message-ID: <51ead4db.5040...@hawaii.edu>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>
> On 2013/07/20 4:18 AM, David P. Sanders wrote:
> > Hi,
> >
> > Probably many of you know about "Plot or Not", a site where we vote on
> > the same plot presented in different ways, to get feedback about better
> > matplotlibrc params:
> >
> > http://warm-escarpment-9042.herokuapp.com/
> >
> > It seems to me an absolutely fantastic idea! I think many people do not
> > realise how fantastic the plots can look with some of this modern
> > styling. (Styling was mentioned several times at SciPy.)
> >
> > Would it be possible to put a link to this site on the matplotlib web
> > page and encourage people to use it?
>
> David,
>
> Interesting, but I'm not sure this is a good approach. I really don't
> see the point of the voting. What I think would be more useful would be
> a set of matplotlibrc files with examples of their effect on at least a
> few plot types.
>
> >
> > Definitely time to update the defaults!!
>
> Or maybe include a representative set of rcParams combinations to make
> it easier for people to choose a design that suits their purpose. This
> could be part of a toolkit.
>
> Eric
>
> >
> > Best wishes,
> > David.
> >
> > --
> > Dr. David P. Sanders
> >
> > Profesor Titular "A" / Associate Professor
> > Departamento de F?sica, Facultad de Ciencias
> > Universidad Nacional Aut?noma de M?xico (UNAM)
> >
> > dpsand...@ciencias.unam.mx <mailto:dpsand...@ciencias.unam.mx>
> > http://sistemas.fciencias.unam.mx/~dsanders
> > <http://sistemas.fciencias.unam.mx/%7Edsanders>
> >
> > Cub?culo / office: #414, 4o. piso del Depto. de F?sica
> > Tel.: +52 55 5622 4965
> >
> >
> >
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > See everything from the browser to the database with AppDynamics
> > Get end-to-end visibility with application monitoring from AppDynamics
> > Isolate bottlenecks and diagnose root cause in seconds.
> > Start your free trial of AppDynamics Pro today!
> >
> http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/clk?id=48808831&iu=/4140/ostg.clktrk
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Matplotlib-devel mailing list
> > Matplotlib-devel@lists.sourceforge.net
> > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/matplotlib-devel
> >
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2013 08:55:37 -1000
> From: Eric Firing <efir...@hawaii.edu>
> Subject: Re: [matplotlib-devel] How to use STIX fonts in matplotlib
> plots?
> To: matplotlib-devel@lists.sourceforge.net
> Message-ID: <51eadd29.6080...@hawaii.edu>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>
> On 2013/07/20 4:41 AM, David P. Sanders wrote:
> > I find the default font used in matplotlib horrible. We should be able
> > to do much better these days.
>
> Which font is being used as default on your installation? And what are
> the characteristics that earn the rating of "horrible"?
>
> Eric
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2013 14:58:12 -0400
> From: Benjamin Root <ben.r...@ou.edu>
> Subject: Re: [matplotlib-devel] Plot or Not: voting to create better
> matplotlibrc
> To: Eric Firing <efir...@hawaii.edu>
> Cc: matplotlib development list
> <matplotlib-devel@lists.sourceforge.net>
> Message-ID:
> <CANNq6F=pdWohTRYLqEkG3oy6VoWYJ=
> c4qob7vj5q-sre7tc...@mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
> >From discussions with others at SciPy, we found ourselves disagreeing on
> what default we would want. We also weren't sure exactly which params were
> the ones that people tended to change. We have zero data on this. This site
> is intended to help start that data collection process.
>
> We can certainly improve this site to collect other kinds of info, but this
> is just a start. One could also view this as a launching point for teaching
> how to use rcParams (sorry David, i kinda like that name) in mpl. You all
> know I never let a good teaching moment go to waste!
>
> As for linking from matplotlib.org, I am ambivalent. It is a bit gimmicky,
> and I do worry about being counterproductive to efforts in SciPy to be more
> inclusive of women (given the rather anti-feministic undertones of the site
> we are parodying). Of course, that could just be me being overly cautious.
>
> Cheers!
> Ben Root
> On Jul 20, 2013 2:20 PM, "Eric Firing" <efir...@hawaii.edu> wrote:
>
> > On 2013/07/20 4:18 AM, David P. Sanders wrote:
> > > Hi,
> > >
> > > Probably many of you know about "Plot or Not", a site where we vote on
> > > the same plot presented in different ways, to get feedback about better
> > > matplotlibrc params:
> > >
> > > http://warm-escarpment-9042.herokuapp.com/
> > >
> > > It seems to me an absolutely fantastic idea! I think many people do not
> > > realise how fantastic the plots can look with some of this modern
> > > styling. (Styling was mentioned several times at SciPy.)
> > >
> > > Would it be possible to put a link to this site on the matplotlib web
> > > page and encourage people to use it?
> >
> > David,
> >
> > Interesting, but I'm not sure this is a good approach. I really don't
> > see the point of the voting. What I think would be more useful would be
> > a set of matplotlibrc files with examples of their effect on at least a
> > few plot types.
> >
> > >
> > > Definitely time to update the defaults!!
> >
> > Or maybe include a representative set of rcParams combinations to make
> > it easier for people to choose a design that suits their purpose. This
> > could be part of a toolkit.
> >
> > Eric
> >
> > >
> > > Best wishes,
> > > David.
> > >
> > > --
> > > Dr. David P. Sanders
> > >
> > > Profesor Titular "A" / Associate Professor
> > > Departamento de F?sica, Facultad de Ciencias
> > > Universidad Nacional Aut?noma de M?xico (UNAM)
> > >
> > > dpsand...@ciencias.unam.mx <mailto:dpsand...@ciencias.unam.mx>
> > > http://sistemas.fciencias.unam.mx/~dsanders
> > > <http://sistemas.fciencias.unam.mx/%7Edsanders>
> > >
> > > Cub?culo / office: #414, 4o. piso del Depto. de F?sica
> > > Tel.: +52 55 5622 4965
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > > See everything from the browser to the database with AppDynamics
> > > Get end-to-end visibility with application monitoring from AppDynamics
> > > Isolate bottlenecks and diagnose root cause in seconds.
> > > Start your free trial of AppDynamics Pro today!
> > >
> >
> http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/clk?id=48808831&iu=/4140/ostg.clktrk
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Matplotlib-devel mailing list
> > > Matplotlib-devel@lists.sourceforge.net
> > > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/matplotlib-devel
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > See everything from the browser to the database with AppDynamics
> > Get end-to-end visibility with application monitoring from AppDynamics
> > Isolate bottlenecks and diagnose root cause in seconds.
> > Start your free trial of AppDynamics Pro today!
> >
> http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/clk?id=48808831&iu=/4140/ostg.clktrk
> > _______________________________________________
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> > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/matplotlib-devel
> >
> -------------- next part --------------
> An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 4
> Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2013 15:03:20 -0400
> From: Benjamin Root <ben.r...@ou.edu>
> Subject: Re: [matplotlib-devel] How to use STIX fonts in matplotlib
> plots?
> To: "David P. Sanders" <dpsand...@ciencias.unam.mx>
> Cc: matplotlib development list
> <matplotlib-devel@lists.sourceforge.net>
> Message-ID:
> <CANNq6Fm0Oz=
> 3ukxyh4yfa0qbhi2j7-sjdhkczyrku-4elrd...@mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
> David,
>
> IIRC, we were just starting to investigate how to produce retina graphics.
> Perhaps you might be able to help Mike D and Michael de Hoon with there
> efforts because very few of us have retina displays.
>
> Cheers!
> Ben Root
> On Jul 20, 2013 10:43 AM, "David P. Sanders" <dpsand...@ciencias.unam.mx>
> wrote:
>
> > I find the default font used in matplotlib horrible. We should be able to
> > do much better these days.
> >
> > One very interesting option, at least for standard (paper) publishing, is
> > the STIX fonts, which is a Times-like font set promoted by several
> > publishers.
> >
> > There are various options in matplotlib, such as
> > matplotlib.rcParams["mathtext.fontset"], which allow the option "stix",
> > but I have not been able to get it to work. Can anybody please help me
> with
> > this -- what is required?
> >
> > I have the STIX otf or ttf installed on my Mac, but I don't seem to
> manage
> > to get the LaTeX versions installed -- installing LaTeX fonts is *so*
> > disgusting (is there some helper script for that?).
> >
> > Thanks and best wishes,
> > David.
> >
> > --
> > Dr. David P. Sanders
> >
> > Profesor Titular "A" / Associate Professor
> > Departamento de F?sica, Facultad de Ciencias
> > Universidad Nacional Aut?noma de M?xico (UNAM)
> >
> > dpsand...@ciencias.unam.mx
> > http://sistemas.fciencias.unam.mx/~dsanders
> >
> > Cub?culo / office: #414, 4o. piso del Depto. de F?sica
> >
> > Tel.: +52 55 5622 4965
> >
> >
> >
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > See everything from the browser to the database with AppDynamics
> > Get end-to-end visibility with application monitoring from AppDynamics
> > Isolate bottlenecks and diagnose root cause in seconds.
> > Start your free trial of AppDynamics Pro today!
> >
> http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/clk?id=48808831&iu=/4140/ostg.clktrk
> > _______________________________________________
> > Matplotlib-devel mailing list
> > Matplotlib-devel@lists.sourceforge.net
> > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/matplotlib-devel
> >
> >
> -------------- next part --------------
> An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
>
> ------------------------------
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> See everything from the browser to the database with AppDynamics
> Get end-to-end visibility with application monitoring from AppDynamics
> Isolate bottlenecks and diagnose root cause in seconds.
> Start your free trial of AppDynamics Pro today!
> http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/clk?id=48808831&iu=/4140/ostg.clktrk
>
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>
> End of Matplotlib-devel Digest, Vol 86, Issue 17
> ************************************************
>
--
************************************
Chris Beaumont
Graduate Student
Institute for Astronomy
University of Hawaii at Manoa
2680 Woodlawn Drive
Honolulu, HI 96822
www.ifa.hawaii.edu/~beaumont
************************************
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Isolate bottlenecks and diagnose root cause in seconds.
Start your free trial of AppDynamics Pro today!
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