Re: Mac vs. Linux for Python Development
On Sun, Mar 2, 2014 at 6:35 PM, Frank Millman wrote: > I assume by 'warm cache' you mean that I had used the decimal module before > and not switched the machine off before trying the above exercise. > > In my case, the machine was switched off before I started. I switched it on > and executed the above steps. That would be about it, yeah. So that would be a cold cache test. > To be slightly more precise, instead of 'the blink of an eye', I estimate it > was between 250-500 ms. If I close the interpreter and start it up again, it > takes maybe 100-200ms. Alright, so now we're talking about some other factors on my system that slow down the cold cache load dramatically. That I can completely understand; when I originally posted it, I was fully aware that the exact figures wouldn't be duplicable. 500ms is a major delay to startup; but what's really significant is the 100-200ms warm cache, because that one is what's going to be repeated. (Imagine a web server that periodically restarts its subprocesses - say, every N requests. Adding 200ms to startup time effectively adds 200/N ms to every request.) An awesome disk cache can improve that immensely, though. My Debian box, warm cache, takes 0.0 seconds to import decimal. But it's a faster computer overall, so even cold cache it only takes a hundred ms or so. > Just to be sure, I switched the machine off and on again, and repeated the > exercise. Starting the interpreter for the first time takes 1.5 - 2 seconds. > Importing decimal for the first time takes less than 500ms. I'm beginning to get a suspicion here that the Windows XP disk cache actually might have a "most pessimal" state, where it's full of other stuff. Worse than a cold cache in performance, a cache warmed by something else. But in any case, the exact figures for cold cache are almost immaterial compared to a noticeable warm-cache delay - if there's enough work to be done just loading the .pyc from the disk cache that it takes visible time, then it would be a problem to force that to be loaded on every interpreter startup. Which was kinda the point of my original testing - I wanted to know how much of a penalty there'd be to moving decimal to built-in. ChrisA -- https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
Re: Mac vs. Linux for Python Development
"Chris Angelico" wrote in message news:CAPTjJmrmJjiGMfqui=PpJco7LjtqVpUjj=xnmtybyqemxg3...@mail.gmail.com... > On Sun, Mar 2, 2014 at 4:51 PM, Frank Millman wrote: >> Which version are you talking about? >> >> I have an old, slow box running Windows Server 2003 and python 3.3.2. >> >> I have just booted it up now, called up a command prompt, typed 'python' >> to >> start the interpreter, and typed 'import decimal'. The interpreter prompt >> re-appeared in the blink of an eye. >> >> Are you talking about something else? > > I did it in IDLE, which might have added a bit, but not hugely. It was > 3.4.0, so the module in both cases is the C-accelerated version. My > suspicion is that you've used the decimal module already on that > system, so you had a warm cache. When I repeat the exercise, I get > sub-second load times (usually of the order of 100-200ms); the > difference between that and your "blink of an eye" would be to do with > exactness of measurement, CPU/HDD performance, etc, etc, etc. > I assume by 'warm cache' you mean that I had used the decimal module before and not switched the machine off before trying the above exercise. In my case, the machine was switched off before I started. I switched it on and executed the above steps. To be slightly more precise, instead of 'the blink of an eye', I estimate it was between 250-500 ms. If I close the interpreter and start it up again, it takes maybe 100-200ms. Just to be sure, I switched the machine off and on again, and repeated the exercise. Starting the interpreter for the first time takes 1.5 - 2 seconds. Importing decimal for the first time takes less than 500ms. Frank -- https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
Re: Mac vs. Linux for Python Development
On Sun, Mar 2, 2014 at 4:51 PM, Frank Millman wrote: > Which version are you talking about? > > I have an old, slow box running Windows Server 2003 and python 3.3.2. > > I have just booted it up now, called up a command prompt, typed 'python' to > start the interpreter, and typed 'import decimal'. The interpreter prompt > re-appeared in the blink of an eye. > > Are you talking about something else? I did it in IDLE, which might have added a bit, but not hugely. It was 3.4.0, so the module in both cases is the C-accelerated version. My suspicion is that you've used the decimal module already on that system, so you had a warm cache. When I repeat the exercise, I get sub-second load times (usually of the order of 100-200ms); the difference between that and your "blink of an eye" would be to do with exactness of measurement, CPU/HDD performance, etc, etc, etc. ChrisA -- https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
Re: Mac vs. Linux for Python Development
"Chris Angelico" wrote in message news:CAPTjJmrBU9K0aoJyCUmif1FCExtbsuq27pGxiRvyNd=yvn-...@mail.gmail.com... > > The point of this thread isn't really about Windows, so I'll try to > keep it brief, but there are a couple of things I should clarify. The > first one is about the 4+ second import time for decimal. I cited > that, recently, and comparing that with "almost instantaneous" on > Debian (which is what I experience) isn't entirely fair, because it's > more about cold cache versus warm cache. (When I shut down IDLE and > fire it up again, I get sub-second import time. Not as fast as the "so > quick as to be immeasurable" that my Debian box gave, but still > quicker than the 4ish second cold cache.) > Which version are you talking about? I have an old, slow box running Windows Server 2003 and python 3.3.2. I have just booted it up now, called up a command prompt, typed 'python' to start the interpreter, and typed 'import decimal'. The interpreter prompt re-appeared in the blink of an eye. Are you talking about something else? Frank Millman -- https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
Re: Mac vs. Linux for Python Development
On 01Mar2014 15:07, Ned Deily wrote: > In article <4e741358-ce12-40ac-97b8-3bbbf2d6d...@googlegroups.com>, > "Mark H. Harris" wrote: > > [...] > > If you want to use terminals on OSX you'll want to install Quartz and run > > the terminal on the emulated X environment. It works better for python > > IMHO. > > The built-in terminal for OSX need serious configuring (which is possible) > > because its color is bad, and its tiny by default, with a crummy font. All > > of > > that can be changed, but it just works better to use XQuartz. > > That certainly is a matter of preference. There are plenty of drawbacks > to using X11-based apps on OS X. I wouldn't advise new users to OS X to > go that route unless they were really set on using X11 entirely and, in > that case, why use OS X at all? If you don't like Apple's built-in > Terminal.app, another option is to use iTerm 2, an open source native > alternative that has many more features. > > http://www.iterm2.com/ > > It's also available through MacPorts. > I also recommend iTerm2. It is really good, far better than OSX's Terminal app. I run it full screen and split it into panes, typically 3 or 4 vertical and then as many horizontal as required (ssh to multiple hosts); I edit in a full height pane usually. To reiterate from a post to mutt-users: I like iTerm2 for the following reasons: - focus follows mouse - selecting text can be set to set the cut buffer immediately, no %C needed. Like X11. - horizontal and vertical pane tiling I've bound shift-%V to open a new vertical pane (splits the current pane vertically) and shift-%T to open a new horizontal pane (splits the current pane horizontally). This is outstandingly useful for working in multiple shells. I do a lot of remote admin and opening shells on a bunch of machines nicely arranged for coordinated work is very pleasing. And of course I've spent some time tuning fonts and colours, and made things slightly transparent with a slight brightening for the currently focussed pane. iTerm2 has lots of features, but the ones above are the real winners for me. Here's a screenshot of this message: https://www.dropbox.com/s/3zvit1cwuoac80h/iterm2-fullscreen-2014-03-02-11.49.02.png Cheers, -- Cameron Simpson TeX: When you pronounce it correctly to your computer, the terminal may become slightly moist. - D. E. Knuth. -- https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
Re: Mac vs. Linux for Python Development
In article <4e741358-ce12-40ac-97b8-3bbbf2d6d...@googlegroups.com>, "Mark H. Harris" wrote: > [...] > The main problem you will see with OSX (if you're not careful) is that IDLE > will be unstable. To be fair about it, its not IDLE's problem, per se. Its > about tcl/tk tkinter. DO NOT use the built-in tcl that comes from Apple, nor > the one that comes through the Apple store! Actually go to the Active TCL > site and download the version related to your system (yes there is a > different one depending on 10.5 10.6 etc). The gory details are here: http://www.python.org/download/mac/tcltk/ TL;DR You'll need to install newer versions of Python (like those download from python.org) that link with third-party builds of Tcl/Tk rather than use the Pythons and Tcl/Tk that Apple ships with OS X 10.6+. > [...] > If you want to use terminals on OSX you'll want to install Quartz and run > the terminal on the emulated X environment. It works better for python IMHO. > The built-in terminal for OSX need serious configuring (which is possible) > because its color is bad, and its tiny by default, with a crummy font. All of > that can be changed, but it just works better to use XQuartz. That certainly is a matter of preference. There are plenty of drawbacks to using X11-based apps on OS X. I wouldn't advise new users to OS X to go that route unless they were really set on using X11 entirely and, in that case, why use OS X at all? If you don't like Apple's built-in Terminal.app, another option is to use iTerm 2, an open source native alternative that has many more features. http://www.iterm2.com/ It's also available through MacPorts. -- Ned Deily, n...@acm.org -- https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
Re: Mac vs. Linux for Python Development
On Sun, Mar 2, 2014 at 9:32 AM, Mark H. Harris wrote: > Py3.3.4 and the latest Active TCL are stable on OSX 10.6 or higher. I have > been very pleased with IDLE on both Gnu/Linux and OSX ( I refuse to use > Windows ever again, ever) and my latest experience has been fabulous, really. > My hat is off to the folks that have made IDLE the simple stable and > powerful IDE that it is. I am being genuine about this. > > Another reason for using Gnu/Linux (and/or OSX) is that generally they are > faster. Faster loading, and faster running. Serious. I have been hearing > of (4) second import times for decimal, for instance. Its almost > instantaneous on Gnu/Linux, or OSX. Also, run times are considerably faster. > That has less to do with the Windows version of python, and more to do with > the Windows version. YMMV > The point of this thread isn't really about Windows, so I'll try to keep it brief, but there are a couple of things I should clarify. The first one is about the 4+ second import time for decimal. I cited that, recently, and comparing that with "almost instantaneous" on Debian (which is what I experience) isn't entirely fair, because it's more about cold cache versus warm cache. (When I shut down IDLE and fire it up again, I get sub-second import time. Not as fast as the "so quick as to be immeasurable" that my Debian box gave, but still quicker than the 4ish second cold cache.) Actually, I do find that my Linux boxes manage their disk caches far better than my Windows boxes do. Not sure if that's Linux versus Windows, or the ext3/4 versus NTFS file system drivers, or something else, but a warm cache on any of my Linux boxes gives a *huge* advantage, and my Windows boxes still show it a bit slower. ChrisA -- https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
Re: Mac vs. Linux for Python Development
On Sunday, February 23, 2014 2:43:14 AM UTC-6, twiz wrote: > I'm sure this is a common question but I can't seem to find a previous thread > that addresses it. If one one exists, please point me to it. My personal preference for writing and testing python code is Gnu/Linux as a platform (free libre open easier to build from C sources etc). As an editor, VI of course. Although, I can honestly say I've been using the latest GNU Emacs lately. It has a very nice python mode. I also use TextWrangler from time to time (can be extended with scripts and it has the same 'feel' as the IDLE editor (kind-of). The main problem you will see with OSX (if you're not careful) is that IDLE will be unstable. To be fair about it, its not IDLE's problem, per se. Its about tcl/tk tkinter. DO NOT use the built-in tcl that comes from Apple, nor the one that comes through the Apple store! Actually go to the Active TCL site and download the version related to your system (yes there is a different one depending on 10.5 10.6 etc). Py3.3.4 and the latest Active TCL are stable on OSX 10.6 or higher. I have been very pleased with IDLE on both Gnu/Linux and OSX ( I refuse to use Windows ever again, ever) and my latest experience has been fabulous, really. My hat is off to the folks that have made IDLE the simple stable and powerful IDE that it is. I am being genuine about this. Another reason for using Gnu/Linux (and/or OSX) is that generally they are faster. Faster loading, and faster running. Serious. I have been hearing of (4) second import times for decimal, for instance. Its almost instantaneous on Gnu/Linux, or OSX. Also, run times are considerably faster. That has less to do with the Windows version of python, and more to do with the Windows version. YMMV If you want to extend your python code with C (as many of us do) well OSX and/or Gnu/Linux are your best bets there too, and frankly Gnu/Linux is the better of the two (from personal experience). OSX 10.6 uses the GNU gcc compiler by default, but the Apple idiosyncratic approach to builds can be annoying. Although, its minimal really (hardly worth mentioning). If you want to build python from sources (as many of us do) my personal opinion is also that Gnu/Linux is the way to go there too. I agree with most of the rest of the posts here that personal preference is at play primarily. Your editor run environment is going to be more important to you than your platform. There is one main difference to that, and it has to do with what you're used to. In IDLE on Gnu/Linux the menu options are on the top of the IDE. In OSX they are on the OSX tool bar at top left (where they are for every other OSX app). OSX guys don't mind this, but Gnu/Linux guys hate it (sometimes). Also, the menu items on Gnu/Linux can be 'torn' off (its a tcl/tk tkinter thing) and on OSX that does not work. Also the 'Options' menu item on OSX has nothing in it. The Options menu is in Preferences in the IDLE drop down on the OSX tool bar. Other than those things, I have spent many cheerful hours in the OSX IDLE editor and have been happy as a clam. Same goes for the Gnu/Linux IDLE editor. If you want to use terminals on OSX you'll want to install Quartz and run the terminal on the emulated X environment. It works better for python IMHO. The built-in terminal for OSX need serious configuring (which is possible) because its color is bad, and its tiny by default, with a crummy font. All of that can be changed, but it just works better to use XQuartz. Enjoy Cheers -- https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
Re: Mac vs. Linux for Python Development
On 2014-02-24, Chris Angelico wrote: > So pick any distro that strikes your fancy! Try it out! If it doesn't > work out, pick a different one. Start with one that your friends use > (if you have any), that way you can get immediate help. That last bit of advice shouldn't be overlooked. If you're new to Linux, just about any mainstream distro for which you can easily get help is going to be a go smoother than one for which you're left with nothing but Google and web-based forums full of incoherent advice and wrong answers. Personally, I prefer Gentoo, but it's probably a bit too nuts-and-bolts for many people. -- Grant Edwards grant.b.edwardsYow! I'm ZIPPY the PINHEAD at and I'm totally committed gmail.comto the festive mode. -- https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
Re: Mac vs. Linux for Python Development
In article <2465a8c7-ce0e-4606-ad3b-9135c96e3...@googlegroups.com>, twiz wrote: > Hello, > > I'm sure this is a common question but I can't seem to find a previous thread > that addresses it. If one one exists, please point me to it. > > I've been developing with python recreationally for a while on Ubuntu but > will soon be transitioning to full-time python development. I have the > option of using a Mac or Ubuntu environment and I'd like to hear any thoughts > on the pros and cons of each. Specifically, how's the support for numpy and > scipy? How are the IDEs? Which is a better food: asparagus or cauliflower? I run Python (including scipy, numpy, iPython, matplotlib, statsmodels, scikit-learn, pandas, etc) on both OSX and Ubuntu. For server and back-end work, I find linux a better platform, partly because there tends to be a larger selection of pre-built packages available (although, I'm not even sure I can defend that statement). On the other hand, I despise every linux desktop I've ever worked with. I've settled into a mode of OSX on my desktops (I have a 8 GB MacBook Pro at home, and a Mini on my desk in the office), and Ubuntu for all my "real work". I'm not a huge fan of IDEs, so I can't give you much advice there. I pretty much live in emacs and terminal windows. I do find the integration of iPython and matplotlib to be compelling, so that's my current environment of choice for anything involving graphics. A common scenario for me is running the iPython kernel on some Ubuntu box in AWS, and a browser on my OSX desktop, with an ssh port tunnel nailed up to let them talk to each other. The bottom line is, if you've got it narrowed down to Ununtu or OSX, you can't go wrong with either choice. Use whichever you're more comfortable using. -- https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
Re: Mac vs. Linux for Python Development
On Tue, Feb 25, 2014 at 5:25 AM, Jean-Michel Pichavant wrote: > If you go for Linux, know that ubuntu would not be the first choice, ubuntu > prefers user experience over stability. Debian for instance is a distribution > largely used in the industry. > What you'll generally find, actually, is that there's very little effective difference between one distro and another - there's a lot of usability difference between, say, Xfce and GNOME3 and Mate and Unity and so on, but you can get each of those on any Linux that supports them (personally, I like Xfce, which I use with Debian; you can get Xubuntu which comes with it). There's also a huge difference between Python 2.4 and Python 2.7, but beyond the fact that Red Hat 5 happens to ship with 2.4 and Debian Wheezy happens to ship with 2.7, there's no connection between that and your distro. Especially among the families of related distros (Debian and Red Hat being the patriarchs of huge family trees, and Ubuntu being head of a major sub-tree under Debian), you'll usually find there's not a huge amount of fundamental difference. So pick any distro that strikes your fancy! Try it out! If it doesn't work out, pick a different one. Start with one that your friends use (if you have any), that way you can get immediate help. ChrisA -- https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
Re: Mac vs. Linux for Python Development
- Original Message - > Hello, > > I'm sure this is a common question but I can't seem to find a > previous thread that addresses it. If one one exists, please point > me to it. > > I've been developing with python recreationally for a while on Ubuntu > but will soon be transitioning to full-time python development. I > have the option of using a Mac or Ubuntu environment and I'd like to > hear any thoughts on the pros and cons of each. Specifically, how's > the support for numpy and scipy? How are the IDEs? > > Since I generally like working with a Mac, I'd like to hear if there > are any significant downsides to python dev on OsX. > > Thanks > I'd rather go for linux, I have the feeling that the dev community is larger, though I have no numbers to provide, so I may be wrong. One would successfully argue that most python dev are cross-platform anyway. IDEs in Linux are great, and you'll get the best of them for free. However vim / emacs are available for free on OsX as well... If you go for Linux, know that ubuntu would not be the first choice, ubuntu prefers user experience over stability. Debian for instance is a distribution largely used in the industry. JM -- IMPORTANT NOTICE: The contents of this email and any attachments are confidential and may also be privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender immediately and do not disclose the contents to any other person, use it for any purpose, or store or copy the information in any medium. Thank you. -- https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
Re: Mac vs. Linux for Python Development
On 02/24/2014 10:34 AM, Michael Torrie wrote: > I know a lot of Mac developers that love the Sublime text editor. And > if you combine it with https://github.com/lunixbochs/actualvim, it's > even better. Sublime is actually on all platforms, and lots of people like it. http://www.sublimetext.com/ Personally I just use vim on any platform. -- https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
Re: Mac vs. Linux for Python Development
On 02/23/2014 01:43 AM, twiz wrote: > I've been developing with python recreationally for a while on Ubuntu > but will soon be transitioning to full-time python development. I > have the option of using a Mac or Ubuntu environment and I'd like to > hear any thoughts on the pros and cons of each. Specifically, how's > the support for numpy and scipy? How are the IDEs? I know a lot of Mac developers that love the Sublime text editor. And if you combine it with https://github.com/lunixbochs/actualvim, it's even better. Personally OS X's focus policy drives me absolutely bonkers as a developer. And I can't function without alt-middle clicking to size windows and alt-click to move windows. > Since I generally like working with a Mac, I'd like to hear if there > are any significant downsides to python dev on OsX. You can always run a virtual machine on OS X and have the best of both worlds. -- https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
Re: Mac vs. Linux for Python Development
On Feb 23, 2014, at 3:43 AM, twiz wrote: > Hello, > > I'm sure this is a common question but I can't seem to find a previous thread > that addresses it. If one one exists, please point me to it. > > I've been developing with python recreationally for a while on Ubuntu but > will soon be transitioning to full-time python development. I have the > option of using a Mac or Ubuntu environment and I'd like to hear any thoughts > on the pros and cons of each. Specifically, how's the support for numpy and > scipy? How are the IDEs? > > Since I generally like working with a Mac, I'd like to hear if there are any > significant downsides to python dev on OsX. > > Thanks > > -- > https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list In addition to the other excellent answers you've received, I'd point you to http://stackoverflow.com/questions/81584/what-ide-to-use-for-python where there is a fairly extensive comparison chart of IDEs, features, and supported OSes. And, by the way, I'm a very happy camper using BBEdit and WingIDE (the name collision is purely coincidental). Thanks, Bill -- https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
Re: Mac vs. Linux for Python Development
On 2014-02-23, twiz wrote: > I've been developing with python recreationally for a while on > Ubuntu but will soon be transitioning to full-time python development. > I have the option of using a Mac or Ubuntu environment and I'd like to > hear any thoughts on the pros and cons of each. Specifically, how's > the support for numpy and scipy? I had problems trying to build my own scipy stack on Maverick, but installing Anaconda's Python distribution solved that. Overall, Python works very well on OS X, but feels better integrated to me under Linux. I'll note that Macs are very popular among the members of pythonsd. I think this is particularly true of the Django developers. Dave Cook -- https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
Re: Mac vs. Linux for Python Development
In article , Chris Angelico wrote: > On Sun, Feb 23, 2014 at 9:17 PM, twiz wrote: > > Can you elaborate on some of the problems running python on OSX (or point > > me to a relavant link)? > > You could poke around on the archives of this list and python-dev, but > the best link I have handy is this, which has only a brief note: > > http://www.python.org/download/releases/3.3.4/ The primary issue for 10.9 was an incompatible change in the system libedit's readline compatibility API which could cause Pythons built on earlier versions of OS X to crash on 10.9 when used interactively. Fixed in the current 2.7.6 and 3.3.4 and 3.4.0rc python.org installers. Also, if you are going to use IDLE or Tkinter with a python.org Python, make sure you have the latest ActiveTcl 8.5.15.0 (actually .1) installed, if possible. http://www.python.org/download/mac/tcltk/ -- Ned Deily, n...@acm.org -- https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
Re: Mac vs. Linux for Python Development
twiz wrote: >I've been developing with python recreationally for a while on Ubuntu but will >soon be transitioning to full-time python development. I have the option of >using a Mac or Ubuntu environment and I'd like to hear any thoughts on the >pros and cons of each. I've been working with Windows, Unix/Linux (X) and Max OS since 1989. In my experience the GUI of Mac OS is the most user friendly of the the three. >Specifically, how's the support for numpy and scipy? >How are the IDEs? > >Since I generally like working with a Mac, I'd like to hear if there are any >significant downsides to python dev on OsX. Eclipse and the PyDev and MercurialEclipse plug-ins are available for Windows, Linux and Mac OS. So, if I had the choice, I would go with the Mac. Best regards, Günther -- https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
Re: Mac vs. Linux for Python Development
On Sun, Feb 23, 2014 at 9:17 PM, twiz wrote: > Can you elaborate on some of the problems running python on OSX (or point me > to a relavant link)? You could poke around on the archives of this list and python-dev, but the best link I have handy is this, which has only a brief note: http://www.python.org/download/releases/3.3.4/ ChrisA -- https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
Re: Mac vs. Linux for Python Development
Hi Chris, thanks for the reply. Yes, I agree. The main consideration is always the development experience. However, I do know that python has had some problems with other OSs (notoriously windows) and I want to avoid unnecessary compatibility issues. Can you elaborate on some of the problems running python on OSX (or point me to a relavant link)? Thanks Tommer -- https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
Re: Mac vs. Linux for Python Development
I used to do core python development using debian linux (gnome). All way long work just fine. However recently I have had a chance to try MacOS X 10.8 and later 10.9. I used macports.org to setup everything I found “missing”. Vim works fine regardless the platform… quite happy. Thanks. Andriy Kornatskyy On Feb 23, 2014, at 10:43 AM, twiz wrote: > Hello, > > I'm sure this is a common question but I can't seem to find a previous thread > that addresses it. If one one exists, please point me to it. > > I've been developing with python recreationally for a while on Ubuntu but > will soon be transitioning to full-time python development. I have the > option of using a Mac or Ubuntu environment and I'd like to hear any thoughts > on the pros and cons of each. Specifically, how's the support for numpy and > scipy? How are the IDEs? > > Since I generally like working with a Mac, I'd like to hear if there are any > significant downsides to python dev on OsX. > > Thanks > > -- > https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list -- https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
Re: Mac vs. Linux for Python Development
On Sun, Feb 23, 2014 at 7:43 PM, twiz wrote: > I'm sure this is a common question but I can't seem to find a previous thread > that addresses it. If one one exists, please point me to it. > > I've been developing with python recreationally for a while on Ubuntu but > will soon be transitioning to full-time python development. I have the > option of using a Mac or Ubuntu environment and I'd like to hear any thoughts > on the pros and cons of each. Specifically, how's the support for numpy and > scipy? How are the IDEs? > > Since I generally like working with a Mac, I'd like to hear if there are any > significant downsides to python dev on OsX. There have been some issues with running Python on OSX, so you'd want to make sure you're running the very latest; for instance, 3.3.4 fixed some issues with 10.9 Mavericks. Generally, I'd say you'll do reasonably well on either platform, as long as you're happy with the editor and related tools; but personally, I love my Linux for development. I use Debian (Ubuntu is closely related to Debian), with Xfce, SciTE, and roughly ten thousand terminal windows - that's my "IDE". SciTE is available for a Mac, and there are plenty of other excellent text editors as well, so you shouldn't have any trouble on that score. Your text editor is probably more important to your productivity than your OS is. Whether you're on Windows, Mac OS, or Linux, or something more obscure like OS/2, you can run your scripts just fine (OS/2 isn't an officially supported Python platform, but I have a third-party build that works fine for me); the important part is getting code from your brain through your fingers into the computer, and a good editor can help hugely with that. You'll hear advocates for vi/vim, emacs, and myriad others, but ultimately, just grab one that looks good and get to know it :) Personally, I'd recommend going Linux, for the openness; among other benefits, it's generally easier to build C stuff from source on Linux than on pretty much any other platform. But you should be able to use your preferred Mac just fine, and learning something new is a cost that's hard to justify. Just do be sure (and yes, I'm reiterating this) that you're on the very latest Python you can get. At the moment, that's 3.3.4, but soon there'll be a 3.4 release. ChrisA -- https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
Mac vs. Linux for Python Development
Hello, I'm sure this is a common question but I can't seem to find a previous thread that addresses it. If one one exists, please point me to it. I've been developing with python recreationally for a while on Ubuntu but will soon be transitioning to full-time python development. I have the option of using a Mac or Ubuntu environment and I'd like to hear any thoughts on the pros and cons of each. Specifically, how's the support for numpy and scipy? How are the IDEs? Since I generally like working with a Mac, I'd like to hear if there are any significant downsides to python dev on OsX. Thanks -- https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
