Path: csiph.com!usenet.pasdenom.info!weretis.net!feeder1.news.weretis.net!feeder.erje.net!eu.feeder.erje.net!xlned.com!feeder1.xlned.com!newsfeed.xs4all.nl!newsfeed2.news.xs4all.nl!xs4all!post.news.xs4all.nl!not-for-mail Return-Path: X-Original-To: python-list@python.org Delivered-To: python-list@mail.python.org X-Spam-Status: OK 0.001 X-Spam-Evidence: '*H*': 1.00; '*S*': 0.00; '(at': 0.04; 'resulting': 0.04; 'subject:Python': 0.06; 'granted,': 0.07; 'great.': 0.07; 'modified': 0.07; 'responding': 0.07; 'subject:Questions': 0.07; 'transform': 0.07; 'gnuplot': 0.09; 'uses.': 0.09; 'cc:addr :python-list': 0.11; 'python': 0.11; 'gui': 0.12; 'posted': 0.15; 'aptitude': 0.16; 'basic.': 0.16; 'combinations': 0.16; 'computes': 0.16; 'imports': 0.16; 'libraries.': 0.16; 'numerically': 0.16; 'pressing': 0.16; 'pulling': 0.16; 'reasonably': 0.16; 'received:mac.com': 0.16; 'sorts': 0.16; 'stumbled': 0.16; 'wrote:': 0.18; 'bit': 0.19; 'drawing': 0.19; 'pieces': 0.19; "python's": 0.19; 'received:10.0.1': 0.19; 'input': 0.22; 'cc:addr:python.org': 0.22; 'cc:2**1': 0.23; '31,': 0.24; 'comparing': 0.24; 'documented': 0.24; 'fairly': 0.24; 'math': 0.24; 'versions': 0.24; 'cc:no real name:2**0': 0.24; 'least': 0.26; 'point': 0.28; 'am,': 0.29; 'array': 0.29; 'compared': 0.30; 'programming.': 0.30; 'code': 0.31; 'that.': 0.31; 'url:wiki': 0.31; 'adequate': 0.31; 'convince': 0.31; 'libraries': 0.31; 'perl': 0.31; 'languages': 0.32; 'running': 0.33; 'moment': 0.34; 'could': 0.34; 'basic': 0.35; 'computing': 0.35; 'but': 0.35; 'really': 0.36; 'doing': 0.36; 'charset:us- ascii': 0.36; 'possible': 0.36; 'received:10.0': 0.36; 'url:org': 0.36; 'should': 0.36; 'example,': 0.37; 'two': 0.37; 'received:10': 0.37; 'performance': 0.37; 'presently': 0.38; 'received:17': 0.38; 'handle': 0.38; 'ability': 0.39; 'does': 0.39; 'use.': 0.39; 'changed': 0.39; 'how': 0.40; 'simply': 0.61; 'first': 0.61; 'here:': 0.62; 'real': 0.63; 'such': 0.63; 'myself': 0.63; 'decided': 0.64; 'relatively': 0.65; 'subject:. ': 0.67; 'believe': 0.68; 'system)': 0.69; 'power': 0.76; 'calculations': 0.84; 'header:In-reply-to:1': 0.84; 'short,': 0.84; 'sliders': 0.84; '2013,': 0.91; 'subject:2013': 0.95; '2013': 0.98 X-Proofpoint-Virus-Version: vendor=fsecure engine=2.50.10432:5.10.8794,1.0.431,0.0.0000 definitions=2013-11-01_05:2013-11-01,2013-11-01,1970-01-01 signatures=0 X-Proofpoint-Spam-Details: rule=notspam policy=default score=0 spamscore=0 suspectscore=0 phishscore=0 adultscore=0 bulkscore=0 classifier=spam adjust=0 reason=mlx scancount=1 engine=7.0.1-1308280000 definitions=main-1311010120 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii MIME-version: 1.0 (Mac OS X Mail 6.6 \(1510\)) Subject: Re: Basic Python Questions - Oct. 31, 2013 From: William Ray Wing In-reply-to: Date: Fri, 01 Nov 2013 11:42:25 -0400 Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable References: To: "E.D.G." X-Mailer: Apple Mail (2.1510) Cc: python-list@python.org, William Ray Wing X-BeenThere: python-list@python.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.15 Precedence: list List-Id: General discussion list for the Python programming language List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Newsgroups: comp.lang.python Message-ID: Lines: 49 NNTP-Posting-Host: 2001:888:2000:d::a6 X-Trace: 1383320554 news.xs4all.nl 15865 [2001:888:2000:d::a6]:50271 X-Complaints-To: abuse@xs4all.nl Xref: csiph.com comp.lang.python:58277 On Oct 31, 2013, at 5:31 AM, "E.D.G." wrote: > Posted by E.D.G. on October 31, 2013 >=20 > The following are several relatively basic questions regarding = Python's capabilities. I am not presently using it myself. At the = moment a number of people including myself are comparing it with other = programs such as XBasic for possible use. >=20 > 1. How fast can Python do math calculations compared with other = languages such as Fortran and fast versions of Basic. I would have to = believe that it is much faster than Perl for doing math calculations. >=20 [byte] > 4. How well does Python work for interactive programming. For = example, if a Python program is running on a PC and is drawing a chart, = can that chart be modified by simply pressing a key while the Python = program is running. I have Perl and Gnuplot program combinations that = can do that. Their interactive speed is not that great. But it is = adequate for my own uses. >=20 I thought about responding to this yesterday, decided others could do so = better than I, but then decided to point out a bit of demo code that was = one of the first really startling pieces of Python that I stumbled into. If you look here: http://wiki.wxpython.org/MatplotlibFourierDemo You will find a fairly short, well documented demo code that = interactively computes a Fast Fourier transform from the frequency = domain to the time domain. As you move the two sliders below the = graphs, the input aptitude and location of the frequency peaks are = changed and the resulting wavelet is plotted, all in real time. Computing a Fourier transform is numerically pretty intensive, doing so = in real time with no perceptible delay (at least on a reasonably modern = system) should convince any skeptic of Python's ability to do BOTH = number crunching AND interactive display. Granted, this performance is based on pulling in libraries. It imports = numpy, mathplotlib, and wx to handle the fast array calculations, the = plotting, and the GUI respectively, but those are exactly the sorts of = "batteries included" libraries that give Python so much power and = flexibility. -Bill