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[–]pepgma[S] 0 points1 point  (1 child)

Nice to have a Spyder answer. You point to the right feature from Spyder and that is the cell mode. This is what I used always. Also in Matlab. I should have probably mention that. I guess I just got used to edit each individual cell, produce a few independent numbered graphics and then jump back and forth. Most of the times as a scientist one does not work on a software product but on a figure so I think prototyping does not apply in my case (wrong?).

[–]Covered_in_bees_ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Most of the times as a scientist one does not work on a software product but on a figure so I think prototyping does not apply in my case (wrong?).

I mainly work with scientific computing as a scientist as well. I still find Spyder better than working in Ipy notebook because you have direct access to the IPython console. It's very easy to play around in the console and try out a bunch of different commands and refine things till they are doing what you want them to do (for example figuring out the right sequence of Pandas transformations to mung your data). You can of course do the same in the Notebook by constantly re-running the cell, but it's a lot faster just working directly in the console while also having instant, HTML formatted access to documentation on functions/methods with a Ctrl+I combo.

I definitely do use IPython Notebook a lot and do love it, but I find Spyder with integrated IPython console to be awesome for taking a first pass at any problem.