[IPython-dev] Announcement: Set of IPython Notebooks to learn Python for Exploratory Computing

[Gelonida]

Hi Mark,


Small suggestion to add some clarifying information to your link.

On 7/29/2014 10:56 PM, Mark Bakker wrote:
> We have developed a series of 15 Notebooks for scientists and 
> engineers who want to use Python programming for exploratory 
> computing, scipting, data analysis, and visualization.The Notebooks 
> were developed for an undergraduate class (sophomores) in Civil 
> Engineering. No prior knowledge of computer programming is assumed. 
> Each Notebook covers a specific topic and includes a number of 
> exercises. The exercises should take less than 4 hours to complete for 
> each Notebook.
>
> The Notebooks may be viewed at
> http://mbakker7.github.io/exploratory_computing_with_python/
> A link to the GitHub repository is also shown on this page.
>

These links look interesting and I know a few persons who might enjoy 
learning a little about python this way.
However as a notebook newbie (I only used ipython as interactive shell 
so far and did not read more about notebooks) I am a little confused.

The web page seems to be aimed at newbies.
It gives the impression, that I just have to go to 
http://mbakker7.github.io/exploratory_computing_with_python/
and then to click on notebook 1 ( 
http://nbviewer.ipython.org/github/mbakker7/exploratory_computing_with_python/blob/master/notebook1/py_exploratory_comp_1_sol.ipynb 
)
and that I could then change the contents of the input field, press 
shift-enter and then see the new result.

But it seems, that this is just a static version of the ipython notebook.

Only when
- downloading the file
- installing all package dependencies (IMHO very difficult for python 
newbies at least on windows) ,
- starting a cmd window
- and running C:\Python27\Scripts\ipython notebook <notenookfile>

I was able to use the notebook as described.

I assume, that with above procedure you'd loose about 99% of the newbies 
who could have been interested in trying out python/notebooks.

Wouldn't it be possible to add a more explicit link which mentions at 
least, that the notebooks cannot be executed immediately or even better 
a link to a page trying to explain (even if not aimed for newbies)
how to use/install ipython/notebooks?
_
_
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mail.python.org/pipermail/ipython-dev/attachments/20140731/1ed30c98/attachment.html>