[Matplotlib-users] Re: [SciPy-user] Re: Windose and Python

[Fernando P. <fp...@co...>]

Travis Oliphant wrote:
> Todd Pitts from Sandia asked me the following question.
> 
> 
>>I have one final question about python on windows.  It seems
>>that the non-interactive scripting works well enough.  However, I have
>>not found a single interactive interpreter that I could recommend  to
>>members of my group without serious reservations.  
>>
>>I have tried IPython,
>>PyCrust (various), IDLE, Using it from within emacs (not cygwin emacs,
>>just emacs under windows), PythonWin, etc.  They all have serious
>>problems when it comes to usability.  Most don't have tab completion at
>>all.   Most, (emacs included) don't work with any plotting package.  I
>>have tried gist from scipy and matplotlib (doesn't work with anything
>>except straight scripting). 
>>
>>Is python really this unusable for
>>interactive data exploration and modeling under Windows?  

As the ipython (http://ipython.scipy.org) author I'm obviously biased, but 
Windows users seem fairly happy with it.  Using Gary Bishop's extensions, it 
is possible (it should basically work out of the box, though I don't know 
because I don't use Windows) to get readline and coloring support under a 
normal (non-cygwin) command shell.

Gary's tools are at:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/uncpythontools

I also imagine that using ipython within emacs as your python shell (which 
requires a special python-mode.el and ipython.el, available at 
http://ipython.scipy.org/dist/ipython-emacs-0.3.tgz) must be an option under 
Windows.  I've only used them under Linux, but since this is just regular 
Emacs lisp, I imagine it should be platform-independent.

I hope this helps.

Regards,

Fernando.