ANN: PyGeo version .8a released ---------------------------------------------------------- see http://home.netcom.com/~ajs Something quite young can grow up a quite some in a year. I believe PyGeo has. And what is PyGeo? : ==================== PyGeo is a dynamic geometry laboratory and toolkit requiring Python2.2 and VPython (and Numeric as distributed with VPython). PyGeo may be used to explore the most basic concepts of Euclidean geometry at an introductory level, including by elementary schools students and their teachers. But is particularly suitable for exploring more advanced geometric topics - such as projective geometry and the geometry of complex numbers. The intent is to bring a rich visual experience to the study of both synthetic and analytic geometry The inspiration: ================ PyGeo is inspired by other dynamic geometry applications - Cabri, Geometers Sketchpad, cinderella and, in particular, David Joyce's wonderful open source java code which is used to create his inspiring site of Euclids Elements with the classic constructions in web-enabled dynamic form. What distinguishes PyGeo ======================== The 3rd dimension ------------------ PyGeo was built from inception to take advantage of the current generation of 3d graphic capabilities (applied geometry, in itself, of course). While this has a certain appeal just on motivational grounds, the importance of this aspect of PyGeo is, it is contended, of a significantly higher order. The study even of the 2 dimensional geometries beyond the simplest Euclidean concepts *requires* 3 dimensions for thorough investigation, or where the enhancement of intuition is a goal. The visualization of the projective geometry of the plane requires the facility for the visualization of the projection from plane to plane. Well accomplished in 3d space. In the exploration of the geometry of the complex plane, the visualization of the projection to the unit sphere adds an important dimension. The 3rd dimension. The Python Programming Language --------------------------------------- The choice of Python as the implementation language for PyGeo goes well beyond the fact of my own comfort with it as a development language. The choice is in fact quite integral to PyGeo's educational purpose and design. Python code is often referred to as "executable pseudo-code". This helps bring some unique characteristics to PyGeo as tool for the study of geometric concepts. Because of the level of programming abstraction provided by Python and the accessibility to its code as readable text, the analytics driving the rendering of the synthetic, visual geometry is highly exposed. One can explore the analytics at work. The abstract becomes much less abstract, and the two classical approaches to the study of geometry can and should become, much more coherently, one. PyGeo, as open source Python, should be readily extensibleby anyone inclined toward the effort. Extend the functionality, create new primitives and interfaces for study of specialized geometric areas. In this sense PyGeo is not an application, as such. It hopes to be a laboratory and a framework, the beginning of a structure for imaginative exploration. And play. And, hopefully, some worthwhile fun. Site for download ================= http://home.netcom.com/~ajs License: ======== GPL Documentation: ============== The release includes source code (of course) and numerous demos, but the user documentation is still in progress - thank you reStructuredText. Feedback ======== mailto:ajs@ix.netcom.com
participants (1)
-
Arthur