Numerical Computing in Python: A Guide for Matlab Users
Presenter(s): Brian Blais
Status: Available
Air Date: 5/15/2007
Air Time: 1:00 PM EST
Length: 1 Hour 8 Minutes 30 Seconds
Matlab is a commercial program used extensively in the scientific and business communities. There are many reasons why it is very popular, including its interactive structure, clean syntax, and ability to interface with fast compiled languages, like C. It also has many routines for signal and image processing, optimization, and visualization.
Python is a modern language used extensively by Google and NASA, as well as many others. Like Matlab, it also has an interactive structure, clean syntax, and the ability to interface with fast compiled languages, like C. There are modules in Python for doing numerical work and visualization, and thus one can make a Python-based computational environment with much the same feel as Matlab. Python is also free, is far more versatile, and can be used in many more applications than Matlab, including robotics, web frameworks, text processing, and others.
This Faculty Development Seminar uses a ``how-to'' approach to setting up Python as a computational environment, geared towards current users of Matlab or similar environments. It explores specific applications of numerical computing, and highlights the power of using Python both in research and in teaching.