useful tidbits for using open source software in science
Here are some notes I took while watching the ShowMeDo video tutorial series on IPython. I highly recommend these videos — I had been using IPython for several months but after seeing these tutorials I learned a lot.
First is the quick reference to get you started, then is the not-so-quick reference section Continue reading ‘IPython quick reference’
There are a lot of tutorials out there to get started in Python. Here I’ve highlighted what I consider to be the best ones: complete, well written, well paced, and assume no prior knowledge of programming. Some walk you through the installation of Python, while others take you through the finer points of the language.
Continue reading ‘Learning Python’
I’ve tried many IDE’s (interactive development environments) — ones with fancy user interfaces and whizbang features — but I kept coming back to IPython.
It doesn’t look like much. No fancy icons or anything, it just runs in a terminal window. After using it though, I can’t imagine going back to anything else. The way it handles the history of everything you’ve typed, the interactive debugging, magic commands, tab-completion, and easy editing using your default text editor . . . it has all the features that lets you code quickly and easily.
Continue reading ‘IPython overview’
A module in Python is a collection of code that can be used in other programs. You can think of a module as being like a toolbox, where another program can import all or just a few of the tools found in the module. Here are some reasons to use modules, and some examples of their use.
Continue reading ‘Modules in Python’
Here’s a list of the software I use frequently. Best part: everything is completely free. Continue reading ‘The Software List’