[BioPython] Lowess function for nonparametric regression

[Brad Chapman]

Hi Michiel;

> Recently I wrote a pure Python implementation of the Lowess function for 
> nonparametric regression. 

Great. I see no reason why it shouldn't go into Biopython -- if it
is a computational bit useful to you, then I'm sure it's useful to
others doing gene expression work.

> If this function is useful for other computational biologists, I can submit 
> it to Biopython. In that case, which module would this fall under? Or can I 
> just make a Lowess.py under Bio? The code is very short, about 25 lines of 
> Python for the actual function.

The Lowess.py under Bio makes the most sense under the current
scheme, but I guess I'm not sure if that is the overall best thing.
Do you think it would be more useful to have a "Stats" module or
something which would collect some of these various useful
statistics bits into an easier to find place then scattered
throughout Bio? I don't really think we need a deep directory
structure, but maybe something analogous to Bio/SeqUtils. 

On the other hand, I guess I'm not sure if this would lead to moving
a lot of modules under Bio to there, which might be too much of a
mess.

Since you're using these, what's your opinion? Thinking about it
now, adding a Lowess.py is the "easiest" solution now, so I may lean
towards that.

But-yeah-we-definitely-want-it-even-if-I-am-quite-confused-ly yr's,
Brad