I suggest deprecating the separate hub_score() and authority_score() functions in favour of the combined hub_and_authority_scores(), not only in the C core, but ideally in all interfaces.
Reasoning (in no particular order):
- Once one of the two scores is determined, the other can be obtained efficiently. Using a single function call is more efficient.
- In order to get a complete picture, one should interpret the two scores together.
- Unfortunately many people use igraph functions without understanding them well, and it’s all too common to use
hub_score()“in order to find the hubs”, sometimes even in an undirected graph. Combining the two functions alerts users that two two scores should be interpreted in tandem.
Some other packages use single functions as well, e.g. NetworkX and Mathematica.
For those users who know what they are doing, this change would not do anything. But it will protect inexperienced people from misusing / misinterpreting these functions, at least a little bit.
Opinions?