Brief mention of Python on Math Forum this morning, in same sentence as Mathematica, though I don't see them as filling the same market niche (partially overlapping though, yes):
http://mathforum.org/kb/thread.jspa?threadID=1949352&tstart=0 This guy Gary at work one time wanted my analysis of Mathematica vs. Python in light of their MUMPS thing crapping out, and I was saying how the former is more for front end analysis and publishing, whereas Python likes to talk directly to SQL engines (maybe through ORM), which isn't Mathematica's forte. However, in saying this, I don't mean to slight Python's libraries especially geared for front end publishing work, like this professional color-coding package seems pretty high end for open source (not my field though, as I'm more back office silo than marketing, unless you count blogging as marketing (true in some cases)). http://code.google.com/p/python-colormath/ Regarding that digital math track I was talking about, there's a GIS/GPS component in wanting to help students keep track of environmental factors, such as community garden locations, big in Portland these days, and feeding the move to bring back Home Economics as a high school subject, lots of local politics I won't bore you with (it's not as retro as it sounds, as we're looking at "cooking show" as a TV production experience, not just breaking eggs and learning weights and measures). I haven't tried 3.1 yet, have been using dictionary versus list to harp on the cardinality vs. ordinality distinction (per Midhat Gazale), understand there's a "new kind of dictionary" that has ordinal properties. I mention that here: http://mathforum.org/kb/thread.jspa?threadID=1949077&tstart=0 Reports from the field? 3.1 lore anyone? My Ubuntu laptop died is the thing, leaving me somewhat demoralized not to mention semi-paralyzed, as a curriculum writer. But I'm compensating, using my "left foot" (WinXP box in a dusty back office). Someday, there'll be a budget for a replacement (I also have the XO, so could do it in Pippy maybe). Chauffeur duty calls, not to the airport this time... Kirby OCN/4D _______________________________________________ Edu-sig mailing list Edu-sig@python.org http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/edu-sig