JOSS review: Improve installation

[rmsare]

Installation: while I could successfully install the package by following the instructions of the documentation, I believe that the procedure is a bit too convoluted, since it requires cloning the source repository just for the environment file and then suggests to install the package from PyPI when, given that the repository has already been cloned, the package could be installed as in pip install .. I would strongly suggest the authors to create a conda recipe so that the package con be installed from conda-forge without the need for cloning the source repository.

openjournals/joss-reviews#1777

[rmsare]

I am working on a conda recipe for this package. When it's accepted, I will change the install instructions to something like:

This package is developed for Linux/OS X and Python 3.6+. It depends on common Python packages like sklearn, numpy, the LibLAS C API, and MCC Python bindings.

You can install this package with conda:

conda env create -n pymcc python=3.6
conda activate pymcc
conda install pymccrgb -y -c conda-forge

[rmsare]

The conda recipe can't be built because of the dependency on LibLAS. I am adding this in the PR, but it's a blocking issue until I add liblas to conda-forge.

See conda-forge/staged-recipes#9923

[martibosch]

It's great that you are adding LibLAS to conda-forge. I wonder if this repo is of any help:
https://github.com/osgeo-forge/liblas-feedstock

[rmsare]

Thanks! Really helpful to see their recipe. Wish it was actually on conda-forge...

[rmsare]

@martibosch The libLAS and wrapper conda recipes are ready to merge, but the main recipe is running into some fairly extensive dependency issues that will take time to resolve.

Is this a necessary step for your review, or could I work to resolve the conda packaging difficulties as the paper moves towards publication? Thanks.

[martibosch]

Hello @rmsare! I understand that pushing recipes to conda-forge takes time and can easily get messy. I believe that all my other comments have been addressed and therefore, from my side, the paper can now move to publication (without having to wait for the conda recipe part).
Cheers!

[rmsare]

Thanks! With a little debugging effort it will be up soon.