RDVW hands-on session with Python

For this hands-on session, please install the following on your laptop:

Web browser

The last version available of Chrome, Firefox, or Safari (if you are using Mac OS X).

Python

Python is a popular language for scientific computing, and great for general-purpose programming as well. Installing all of its scientific packages individually can be a bit difficult, so we recommend Anaconda, an all-in-one installer.

Regardless of how you choose to install it, please make sure you install Python version 3.x (e.g. 3.4 is fine).

Windows

  1. Open http://continuum.io/downloads with your web browser.
  2. Download the Python 3 installer for Windows.
  3. Install Python 3 using all of the defaults for installation. Please make sure to check the box "Make Anaconda the default Python".

Mac OS X

  1. Open http://continuum.io/downloads with your web browser.
  2. Download the Python 3 installer for OS X.
  3. Install Python 3 using all of the defaults for installation.

Linux

  1. Open http://continuum.io/downloads with your web browser.
  2. Download the Python 3 installer for Linux.
  3. Install Python 3 using all of the defaults for installation. (Installation requires using the shell. If you aren't comfortable doing the installation yourself, stop here and request help at the workshop.)
  4. Open a terminal window.
  5. Type bash Anaconda3- and then press tab. The name of the file you just downloaded should appear.
  6. Press enter. You will follow the text-only prompts. When there is a colon at the bottom of the screen, press the down arrow to move down through the text. Type "yes" and press enter to approve the license. Press enter to approve the default location for the files. Type "yes" and press enter to prepend Anaconda to your PATH (this makes the Anaconda distribution the default Python).