Mailman 3 February 2005 - Edu-sig

Re: [Edu-sig] Re: (financial calculation) - using units
by ajsiegel＠optonline.net 15 Feb '05

15 Feb '05

Christian writes - > > > def future_value(iday,cday,ivalue,cvalue,years): > > days_invested=(cday-iday).days > > year_periods=365/days_invested > > Bothered me (too), the year_periods should be of a time-dimension. > > duration_in_years=days/365 I would at least argue that there is method to my madness. Financial thinking as to rates of return, and comparison between returns, generally puts things on an annualized basis. I am thinking (and coding) in terms of an annualized return, and then dealing with it thusly. Domain appropriate thinking, think I. Of course lots in nature grows at compounded growth rates - it's just thought about a bit differently. And in nature as in finance limiting factors tend to intervene. Trees don't grow 4.5 billion feet high. Normally ;) Art

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Do you have a cat?
by Gregor Lingl 15 Feb '05

15 Feb '05

If so, have a look at http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/7403 It shows you how to feed it, using Linux, Python and an inexpensive microcontroller Have fun ;-) Gregor

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Ann: PyPy Sprint before PYCON 2005 in Washington
by Christian Tismer 15 Feb '05

15 Feb '05

PyPy Sprint before PYCON 2005 in Washington ------------------------------------------- In the four days from 19th March till 22th March (inclusive) the PyPy team will host a sprint on their new Python-in-Python implementation. The PyPy project was granted funding by the European Union as part of its Sixth Framework Program, and is now on track to produce a stackless Python-in-Python Just-in-Time Compiler by December 2006. Our Python implementation, released under the MIT/BSD license, already provides new levels of flexibility and extensibility at the core interpreter and object implementation level. Armin Rigo and Holger Krekel will also give talks about PyPy and the separate py.test tool (used to perform various kinds of testing in PyPy) during the conference. Naturally, we are eager to see how the other re-implementation of Python, namely IronPython, is doing and to explore collaboration possibilities. Of course, that will depend on the degree of openness that Microsoft wants to employ. The Pycon2005 sprint is going to focus on reaching compatibility with CPython (currently we target version 2.3.4) for our PyPy version running on top of CPython. One goal of the sprint is to pass 60% or more of the unmodified regression tests of mainline CPython. It will thus be a great way to get to know CPython and PyPy better at the same time! Other possible work areas include: - translation to C to get a first working lower-level representation of the interpreter "specified in Python" - integrating and implementing a full parser/compiler chain written in Python maybe already targetting the new AST-branch of mainline CPython - fixing various remaining issues that will come up while trying to reach the compatibility goal - integrate or code pure python implementations of some Python modules currently written in C. - whatever issues you come up with! (please tell us before hand so we can better plan introductions etc.pp.) Besides core developers, Bea Düring will be present to help improving and document our sprint and agile development process. We are going to give tutorials about PyPy's basic concepts and provide help to newcomers usually by pairing them with experienced pypythonistas. However, we kindly ask newcomers to be present on the first day's morning (19th of March) of the sprint to be able to get everyone a smooth start into the sprint. So far most newcomers had few problems in getting a good start into our codebase. However, it is good to have the following preparational points in mind: - some experience with programming in the Python language and interest to dive deeper - subscription to pypy-dev and pypy-sprint at http://codespeak.net/pypy/index.cgi?lists - have a subversion-client, Pygame and graphviz installed on the machine you bring to the sprint. - have a look at our current documentation, especially the architecture and getting-started documents under http://codespeak.net/pypy/index.cgi?doc The pypy-dev and pypy-sprint lists are also the contact points for raising questions and suggesting and discussing sprint topics beforehand. We are on #pypy on irc.freenode.net most of the time. Please don't hesitate to contact us or introduce yourself and your interests! Logistics --------- Organizational details will be posted to pypy-sprint and are or will be available in the Pycon2005-Sprint wiki here: http://www.python.org/moin/PyConDC2005/Sprints Registration ------------ send mail to pypy-sprint(a)codespeak.net, stating the days you can be present and any specific interests if applicable. Registered Participants ----------------------- all days: Jacob Hallén Armin Rigo Holger Krekel Samuele Pedroni Anders Chrigström Bea Düring Christian Tismer Richard Emslie -- Christian Tismer :^) <mailto:tismer@stackless.com> tismerysoft GmbH : Have a break! Take a ride on Python's Johannes-Niemeyer-Weg 9A : *Starship* http://starship.python.net/ 14109 Berlin : PGP key -> http://wwwkeys.pgp.net/ work +49 30 802 86 56 mobile +49 173 24 18 776 fax +49 30 80 90 57 05 PGP 0x57F3BF04 9064 F4E1 D754 C2FF 1619 305B C09C 5A3B 57F3 BF04 whom do you want to sponsor today? http://www.stackless.com/

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Re: RE: RE: [Edu-sig] Financial calculation
by ajsiegel＠optonline.net 14 Feb '05

14 Feb '05

> > I do. It's work if you're still learning what exponential > functions are, > but this has nothing to do with actual financial planning. Kirby - Nice to return to some normalcy.... I was being a silly. I know I was being silly. It is silly to think I don't know I was being silly. Which makes it silly to tell me I was being silly. Nice to have you join some silliness. But -- Should I stick strictly to business in the future. Advice? Art

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Re: RE: [Edu-sig] Financial calculation
by ajsiegel＠optonline.net 14 Feb '05

14 Feb '05

----- Original Message ----- From: Kirby Urner <urnerk(a)qwest.net> Date: Monday, February 14, 2005 2:41 pm Subject: RE: [Edu-sig] Financial calculation > > Though maybe my calculations need to be checked, in Python. > > > > And I still don't own any Apple. > > > > Art > > Why is it useful to take a sudden spike in a stock, use that to > derive an > annual growth rate of 500%, and plug that into a compound interest > formularunning out 10 years? Why is useful to repeat the story of the King and the grains of wheat and the chessboard? I assume you know my reference. Same reason, different era. > > By the same reasoning, finding a $100 bill on the sidewalk will > make me a > gazillionaire, so I should just quit all my jobs and retire. Only if you can find a why to compund it a 500% over some substanital time period. Else you just found $100. That used to buy a nice pair of shoes. > > Over on the Wittgenstein list, we call this "language idling" > (i.e. doing no > work). If you say so. Art > > Kirby > > >

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Financial calculation
by ajsiegel＠optonline.net 14 Feb '05

14 Feb '05

Having checked the archives: On Dec 26, when Apple Computer was selling near it's then historical high of $64, I had mentioned that my friend still considered it a good buy. Apple today announce a 2-for 1 stock split, and is selling at around $81. By my quick calculations, this represents a rate of annualized return of approximately 500%. If we had bought one share of Apple on Dec 27, and then extrapolate the return realized to date over 10 years, I think we end up with nearly $4,000,000,000 at the end of a ten year period. Almost enough to fund Python3.0. The Apple mention was as far as I am aware the only mention of stock values and investment ever made on edu-sig. This would lead me to believe that Python edu-sig probably has the right to claim itself to have the best track record for investment advice of any forum on the Web. Though maybe my calculations need to be checked, in Python. And I still don't own any Apple. Art

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re: financial calculation
by Arthur 13 Feb '05

13 Feb '05

>Though maybe my calculations need to be checked, in Python. which I attempt, as follows: ____________________________________________________________ from __future__ import division import datetime import math def future_value(iday,cday,ivalue,cvalue,years): days_invested=(cday-iday).days year_periods=365/days_invested annualized_rate = math.log(cvalue/ivalue)*year_periods #future_value at the end of given years return ivalue*math.pow(math.e,annualized_rate*years) #date we purchased stock iday=datetime.date(2004,12,27) #date of valuation cday=datetime.date(2005,2,11) #price at purchase ivalue=64.5 #current price cvalue=81 #let's keep this up for ten years - sure.... print future_value(iday,cday,ivalue,cvalue,10) _________________________________________________ which returns 4561078546.84 well over $4 bliion 4,561,078,546.84 This is still not seeming intuitively correct. Which might be a problem of my intuition, or my calculation. Really not sure. A very serious - (or just serious,compared to my silliness) - quantitative financial analysis tool available to the Python programmer/student of quantitative finance is the Python bindings to the C++ Quantlib library. http://www.quantlib.org/ Unfortuantely while it provides automatically generated API documentation, I haven't found anything that could be called a user manual. Art ------------------------------------------------------------------------

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python satacad: class 4
by Arthur 12 Feb '05

12 Feb '05

Kirby - >So I have this plastic box containing, among other goodies, a set of stiff >paperboard polyhedra, with black electrical tape along the edges. Thanks >to help from my friends Trevor and Russ Chu, they're precisely dimensioned >for this demo I do, quite frequently, for audiences of all ages (but mostly >kids). A multimedia approach, in a more sane sense than one normally encounters. I just came across Bradford Hansen-Smith, and his origami book. http://www.wholemovement.com/ suspecting it is something you would already know about, as its introduction sounds like something Bucky (or Kirby) might have written. Have a bid in on the book at ebay - 10 hours left. No competition invited. Art

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3d goggles -- any recommendations
by Hans Fangohr 10 Feb '05

10 Feb '05

Dear all, I am looking for a product that provides three-dimensionality to OpenGL (aiming for visual Python but also VTK graphics) scenes (for teaching purposes). Something like graphics adapter with 3d goggles which work in sync and provide two pictures one for the left and the other for the right eye. Price range not to exceed 250US$; better less. Does a product fitting this criteria exists? Does anyone have any experience with such systems? Thanks, Hans P.S. It would help if this piece of hardware worked on Linux.

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RE: [Edu-sig] 3d goggles -- any recommendations
by Hans Fangohr 10 Feb '05

10 Feb '05

Hi Kirby, > On the low end, price-wise, I was able to snag a stack of red/blue stereo > glasses from a local 3D museum. They're basically cardboard with cellophane > color filters, and I got mine for free. I expect they'd typically go for > well under a euro in bulk. This is excellent (and if anyone can tell me where I can order such glasses, please do! (Need them delivered to the United Kingdom)). I'd love to use this, too -- seems ideal for presentations and lectures. > And I obtained these glasses specifically for a demonstration involving > VPython. I wanted my OSCON 2004 audience to experience a rhombic > triacontahedron floating out in front of the big screen on which I was > projecting. The illusion was very effective, with people going oooooo, > ahhhhhh. I remember reading your email about it ;-) However, I am still interested in the more high-tech product I did ask for: it's appealing in another sense. Thanks, Hans > > Kirby > > >> -----Original Message----- >> From: edu-sig-bounces(a)python.org [mailto:edu-sig-bounces@python.org] On >> Behalf Of Hans Fangohr >> Sent: Wednesday, February 09, 2005 8:49 AM >> To: edu-sig(a)python.org >> Subject: [Edu-sig] 3d goggles -- any recommendations >> >> Dear all, >> >> I am looking for a product that provides three-dimensionality to OpenGL >> (aiming for visual Python but also VTK graphics) scenes (for teaching >> purposes). Something like graphics adapter with 3d goggles which work in >> sync and provide two pictures one for the left and the other for the right >> eye. Price range not to exceed 250US$; better less. >> >> Does a product fitting this criteria exists? Does anyone have any >> experience with such systems? >> >> Thanks, >> >> Hans >> >> P.S. It would help if this piece of hardware worked on Linux. >> _______________________________________________ >> Edu-sig mailing list >> Edu-sig(a)python.org >> http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/edu-sig > > ------------------------------------------------- Dr Hans Fangohr Computational Engineering & Design Research Group School of Engineering Sciences University of Southampton Southampton, SO17 1BJ United Kingdom Location: Building 25, Room 1027 phone : +44 (0) 23 8059 8345 fax : +44 (0) 23 8059 7082 email : fangohr(a)soton.ac.uk -------------------------------------------------

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