Installing Python on your own system.

To run python code on your own computer, you need to install Python first.

Some nomenclature and background information:

Python - The programming language.
- Not called after the snake, but after Monte Python. If you don't know what that is, that's OK, it's Brittish humour (http://www.montypython.com Links to an external site.)
- Originally designed by Guido v. Rossum at University van Amsterdam. (https://gvanrossum.github.io Links to an external site.)
python - The interpreter, a program that takes your Python code and turns it into something the computer understands.
Python2, Python3 - There are two versions of Python, and both are still being maintained and improved. For Python3, the decision was made to slightly clean up the language and make some fundamental changes. They are subtle, but just sufficient to make Python2 code not quite run on a python3 interpreter. In this course we will be using Python2. The reason is that for the Raspberry Pi, some useful libraries have not yet been ported to Python3.

Installing Python on Windows.

Easy, just go to https://www.continuum.io/downloads Links to an external site. download Anaconda and install. Now you have Python.

You can now use Python by starting up the Powershell, or the newly installed Anaconda Prompt. The Anaconda Navigator shows a number of fancy options you can run, and what was installed, and option to install more. I think you get plenty to start with though.

Installing Python on your Mac or Linux system.

At first, there is nothing to do here, since for both the Mac and for Linux, Python is part of the operating system. For this course, we want to use a number of scientific Python packages.

You have two routes:

Install all at once with Anaconda: https://www.continuum.io/downloads Links to an external site.
Install the needed bits:
- You should consider installing virtual env first (http://docs.python-guide.org/en/latest/dev/virtualenvs/ Links to an external site.), and then these package. The reason is that in that way, the packages you install will not interfere with the system version of Python. Execute, from your home directory (after the # are comments, no need to type that):
```
pip install virtualenv         # install virtual env
virtualenv P                   # create a virtual env called P
. P/bin/activate               # activate the P virtual env. Do this each time you start working.
                               # it can be put in your ~/.bashrc script.
```
- You could consider installing the virtual-env-wrapper as well, see http://docs.python-guide.org/en/latest/dev/virtualenvs/ Links to an external site.
- Next install the needed Scientific Python parts. This is less than the Anaconda package installs, but sufficient:
```
pip install ipython
pip install jupyter
pip install spicy
pip install numpy
pip install matplotlib
```
- You can now test on the command line that it works. See: http://matplotlib.org/users/pyplot_tutorial.html
```
ipython    # the rest of these are typed (copy and pasted) to the python command prompt.
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import numpy as np
y = np.arange(0.,6.5,0.1)
plt.plot(y,np.sin(y),y,np.cos(y))
plt.show()
```

Installing The Atom Editor:

Though I am a huge fan of Emacs, regularly use Eclipse and Xcode, and have also used Netbeans, I found that the Atom editor is quite fantastic, and keeps getting better. It is much more "light weight" than Eclipse, which has a tendency to want to do too much, it is far more modern than Emacs (which also tries to do too much) and more versatile than Xcode or Visual Studio. Because of all these reasons, I recommend Atom, however, I am not someone who would insist you to switch to a different editor if you are already thoroughly convinced you found what is right for you.

Installing Atom is very easy. Go to http://www.atom.com Links to an external site., download, and install.

Once downloaded, you should really do the following:

Go to the "flight manual" (http://flight-manual.atom.io/ Links to an external site.) and get a feel for what to do.
Go to "Install a Package" (from welcome guide, or "settings" and then +Install).
- In the search box enter "autocomplete-python" and install that package.

Installing Git and using Github

Github is a "code repository", a place where you can conveniently store your code and keep track of versions, and also share your code. It runs on top of Git, a version management system used for the Linux kernel (the most deep down piece of programming that makes Linux work.).

You install Git by following the instructions here: https://git-scm.com/book/en/v2/Getting-Started-Installing-Git Links to an external site.

For Github, you create a free account and then read the getting started: https://www.github.com Links to an external site.