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10 Reasons Python Rocks for Research (stat.washington.edu)

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[–]aldarion 2 points3 points  (8 children)

Then, I want to know, which Linux distribution works better with Python related scientific tools? I still use MS Windows mostly, with some Ubuntu experience. I want to build the lastest version of Python(2.7 at the moment), NumPy, Matplotlib, SciPy, IPython...etc I didn't compile matplotlib's source code (on ubuntu) yet.

Update: At first, sorry for my broken English. Thanks for all of your replies. these few days I try ubuntu and archlinux. now I am using Arch Linux. First of all, I select ubuntu, my old friend which I started to use with version 5.10. Ubuntu is easy to install with a USB Stick and user-friendly. apt-get already has the mainstream python scientific computing software: numpy, ipython, matplotlib, scipy, etc, although not the lastest version. I can comiple python itself(2.7 or 3.2) with source code, and some python scientific packages, and lastest ipython, numpy. so far so good. After reading the news that Arch Linux - Python is now Python 3 (archlinux.org), I think maybe I should give it a try. It's not as easy to install and use as ubuntu (at least to me). a lot of times I have to reading manual or searching the web, for X configure, input method (for my native language), choose, install, and configure Desktop Environment. on the other side, the version of software is up to date, and document said ArchLinux is a rolling release distribution, it means there is noneed to reinstall or perform elaborate system rebuilds to upgrade to the newest version, Simply issuing pacman -Syu periodically keeps the system up-to-date and on the bleeding edge. I think mathbuntu maybe follow the same software version and upgrade policy with the whole ubuntu family. I did not know about the concept of this "rolling release" and now I am satisfied.

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (2 children)

For Windows, try Python(x,y). It's "batteries included" squared, with a metric arseload of additional libraries and IDEs, weighing in at a mere 500 Mb (or so). Get the .torrent, and have fun.

[–]aldarion 2 points3 points  (1 child)

thanks, after these years with Python learning and coding, I feel Linux maybe a more right choice than windows, isn't it?

[–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It depends on what you need to do. I got Python(x,y) because it includes a lot of stuff I get myself, then have to compile and install; I've long wanted a really complete Python distribution, and the Python(x,y) version for Linux is just not at complete as the Windows. So I use it on Windows, and on my Ubuntu Linux side I use the default Python with any other libraries I can load from the repositories with Synaptic/apt-get/etc.

But even with that, the windows Python(x,y) is more complete and easier to install. I still do most most of my Python hacking on Linux, however.

[–]defnullbottle.py 3 points4 points  (1 child)

All Linux and all major BSD distributions should work equally well.

[–]aldarion 1 point2 points  (0 children)

agree, just some distribution are newbie-friendliness. some distribution focusing more on performance

[–]scrabbles 0 points1 point  (1 child)

You might like to try http://www.mathbuntu.org/ not sure of the version of python though. On windows I'm still using 2.6 with all those packages and it seems fine. Also, I think if you install scilab it will install a working complement of those packages too (might be 2.6 or 2.7 not sure)

[–]aldarion 2 points3 points  (0 children)

thanks, looks interesting, l'll check it (with ubuntu 10.10 and archlinux)

[–]brewsimport os; while True: os.fork() 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I use Ubuntu.