/getting-started

Primary LanguagePython

===================================== Getting Started with Python and Git

This is a quick assignment to help you become familiar with git and with how Python assignments will work. If this is your first time using git or GitHub, you may find GitHub's "Hello World" Guide useful.

To complete the assignment you will need to:

  • Fork this repository to your own account
  • Edit the file getting_started.py using a text editor and complete the program so it runs.
  • "Push" your revised getting_started.py to your repository.

Test your implementation using python getting_started.py.

Using Python on the Linux cluster (strongly recommended)

You are strongly encouraged to use the SOIC Linux clusters to complete this assignment. All the computers have Python 3 installed.

You can connect to one of the computers via SSH. The following command should work on Linux and macOS. On Windows you will need to download an SSH client such as PuTTY.

ssh username@burrow.soic.indiana.edu

(If you are not a graduate student in SOIC this will likely not work. Tell the instructor. In the interim, use ssh temporary1@159.203.138.237 or ssh temporary2@159.203.138.237 with the password provided in class.))

Once connected you can type python3 to use the Python REPL. You can run Python code stored in a file (e.g., my_program.py) in your current directory with python3 my_program.py.

The vanilla Python REPL is not the most enjoyable environment. You may install an enhanced version of the Python REPL with the following:

python3 -m pip install IPython

to use IPython:

python3 -m IPython

There is also a browser-based Python REPL called, Jupyter. You can install this with

python3 -m pip install jupyter

and lauch the jupyter notebook with

python3 -m jupyter notebook

Due to prudent SOIC firewalls, accessing the jupyter notebook using your web browser will only work smoothly if you are physically at a computer in the cluster in Lindley Hall. To use the notebook remotely you need to use VNC.

To get a taste of what the Jupyter notebook is like, you may visit http://jupyter.org/.

Using Python on your computer

You may also install the Anaconda distribution of Python, which is a package which comes with most of the functionality etc. which you will need for the course. Direct your browser to https://www.continuum.io/downloads and download the graphical installer (on macOS and Windows). Double-click the downloaded file and install the Python distribution system-wide. Make sure that you download Python 3.5.