[Edu-sig] ANN: PyGeo version .8a released

[Arthur]

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