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Setup
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Getting the Data

The data we will be using is taken from the gapminder dataset. To obtain it, download and unzip the file python-novice-gapminder-data.zip. In order to follow the presented material, you should create the Jupyter notebook in the "data" directory.

Starting Python

If you will be using the IPython or Jupyter notebook for the lesson, you should have already installed Anaconda which includes the notebook.

To start the notebook, open a terminal or git bash and type the command:

$ jupyter notebook

{: .source}

To start the Python intrepreter without the notebook, open a terminal or git bash and type the command:

$ python

{: .source}

Installation Using Anaconda

Python is a popular language for scientific computing, and great for general-purpose programming as well. Installing all of its scientific packages individually can be a bit difficult, so we recommend Anaconda, an all-in-one installer.

Regardless of how you choose to install it, please make sure you install Python version 3.x (e.g., 3.4 is fine).

We will teach Python using the Jupyter notebook, a programming environment that runs in a web browser. For this to work you will need a reasonably up-to-date browser. The current versions of the Chrome, Safari and Firefox browsers are all supported (some older browsers, including Internet Explorer version 9 and below, are not). Enumerated below are setup instructions for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. Please setup your python environment at least a day in advance of the workshop. If you encounter problems with the installation procedure, please ask your workshop organizers via e-mail for assistance getting set up.

Windows - Video tutorial

  1. Open http://continuum.io/downloads with your web browser.

  2. Download the Python 3 installer for Windows.

  3. Install Python 3 using all of the defaults for installation except make sure to check Make Anaconda the default Python.

Mac OS X - Video tutorial

  1. Open http://continuum.io/downloads with your web browser.

  2. Download the Python 3 installer for OS X.

  3. Install Python 3 using all of the defaults for installation.

Linux

  1. Open http://continuum.io/downloads with your web browser.

  2. Download the Python 3 installer for OS X.

  3. Install Python 3 using all of the defaults for installation. Note that installation requires using the shell, if you aren't comfortable doing then installation yourself then stop here and request help before the workshop begins.

  4. Open a terminal window.

  5. Type

    $ bash Anaconda3-

    {: .source}

    and press tab. The name of the file you just downloaded should appear.

  6. Press enter. You will follow the text-only prompts. When there is a colon at the bottom of the screen press the down arrow to move down through the text. Type yes and press enter to approve the license. Press enter to approve the default location for the files. Type yes and press enter to prepend Anaconda to your PATH (this makes the Anaconda distribution the default Python).

Get Gapminder Data

The data we will be using is taken from the gapminder dataset. To obtain it, download and unzip the file [python-novice-gapminder-data.zip]({{ site.github.repository_url }}/python-novice-gapminder-data.zip). In order to follow the presented material, you should create the Jupyter notebook in the "data" directory.