Updated Showcase and Introduction notebooks

[jlstevens]

I think both these notebooks reflect the priorities of early versions of HoloViews i.e matplotlib and especially Image support and are not suitable anymore.

In particular, I would like Showcase updated very soon after the 1.7 release as it is quite short and we have a lot of far more interesting things to showcase at this point.

The Introduction notebook should also be updated. I would like it to start off as a simplified version of the rich display notebook and work with more than just Images. It should introduce all the various ways of using HoloViews including DynamicMap and streams.

[philippjfr]

I strongly agree that both of these notebooks are outdated, Showcase doesn't really capture many of things that make HoloViews so great and the focus on RGB types in Introduction makes it seem like HoloViews is a library primarily concerned with displaying images. Rather than simply updating them I'd almost say we should start with a blank slate rather than letting the current structure of the notebooks drive our thinking.

[jlstevens]

I don't think the idea of a Showcase or an Introduction notebook are outdated. I suppose you mean that we shouldn't try to stick to their current outlines and structure? If so, I agree.

[philippjfr]

I suppose you mean that we shouldn't try to stick to their current outlines and structure? If so, I agree.

Right, we definitely still want these notebooks, just not in their current form.

[jlstevens]

Not sure this will actually happen for 1.7.1 but it would be good!

I also think we should all work together when updating these notebooks, first discussing what is bad about the current versions (e.g too much focus on Image) and coming up with a plan before anyone starts work.

[jlstevens]

I think this is addressed as part of the new website where the 'Getting Started' guide is a much better introduction and a showcase at the same time. The two old notebooks still exist in doc/Tutorials for now.

@philippjfr Close this issue or is there more to discuss?