Ubuntu and Python

[sneekula]

I just bought an inexpensive used Dell notebook that has Ubuntu/Linux as an operating system. Compared to Vista this is sweet.

It came with Python25 installed, but it was easy to use the Add/Remove application feature to get open source software from the Ubuntu site. I downloaded/installed Stani's Python Editor (SPE) IDE with just a click of a button, that also installed wxPython.

In the Ubuntu application list I also found the Eric4 IDE. I clicked the button and it downloaded and installed. This also installed the PyQT4 package. Now I got interested in the PyQT4 GUI toolkit.

There are tons of programming applications on the list, it's like a candy store. So next was QTdesiger, BOA and Sun's Open Office. Yes, I like Ubuntu and Linux, learning to use it quickly.

If anyone alse uses Ubuntu (or other Linux packages) and Python, please share your experiences, tips and wisdom. I am just an Ubuntu newbee.

[woooee]

I don't remember if SQLite is installed by default or not. A test is of course
import sqlite3
Even though you may not use it, there are various apps that do. Also, check out the programming forum there http://ubuntuforums.org/forumdisplay.php?f=39

[Paul Thompson]

Yeah i got a Dell inspron mini 9. One of the netbooks and it runs linux so well. I spent ages getting confused about how to install applications until about a week later i found the add/remove programs item. Woops!

But i love its speed and its community. Hope you have fun with ubuntu! :)

[sneekula]

I don't remember if SQLite is installed by default or not. A test is of course import sqlite3 Even though you may not use it, there are various apps that do. Also, check out the programming forum there http://ubuntuforums.org/forumdisplay.php?f=39

Module sqlite3 works just fine. I have successfully tested a fair number of Python programs from my collection.

I am also getting used to the Mozilla Firefox web browser.

[sneekula]

I downloaded file pygame_1.8.1release.orig.tar.gz from the Ubuntu site. My silly newbee question is: "What Linux command do I use to install/setup it to Python?"

[jlm699]

This was the first result from googling "ubuntu install pygame": http://www.pygame.org/wiki/kubuntu

One of the best things about Ubuntu(Linux in general) is that it has such a huge open-source user base that almost every question you have has a detailed guide online of how somebody else did it.

[sneekula]

Thanks jlm699!
Going to the terminal and running command
sudo apt-get install python-pygame
works like a charm.

[scru]

One of the best nuggets of wisdom I ever got about using Ubuntu (and other Debian based systems) is learn to use apt.

I suppose it applies to whatever package manager that your distribution happens to be using.

Here's a quick run down on how I use apt.

1. Find out the name of the package I want to install. If I'm not sure, I do sudo aptitude search software_name
2. Do sudo apt-get install package_name
It's that easy!

Whenever I want to remove anything, I do sudo apt-get remove package_name

Sometimes I want to install software that there aren't packages for, or the packages are outdated. To do that I just get the source code and extract it, and then mostly it's as easy as these steps (these have nothing to do with apt-get by the way):

1. Become root on terminal (some might not like this approach). On Ubuntu it's sudo su
2. Navigate to folder with source-code (use cd dir_name to change directories)
3. ./configure This is if the software provides a configure script.
4. make
5. make install

Easy, isn't it?

One last thing, If you're installing python packages from source (and that source provides a setup.py script), it's almost always as easy as doing python setup.py install . Regardless of platform.

[woooee]

First, make sure that all repositories are enabled, and that you update after that. If you have Gnome Ubuntu and you want to install a KDE package for example, the default repos will not find KDE apps because those repos are not enabled.

[Paul Thompson]

But there also is the GUI Synaptic Package Manager on Ubuntu, thats really nice to start with, it gets all of the dependencies. It is search-able and categorised.
You find it in System -> Administration -> Synaptic Package Manager

Thats what i use if i cant find it with the aptitude search. :)

Hope that helps

[sneekula]

The May 2009 issue of "Linux Pro" magazine has a "Knoppix 6.1" live DVD included. I set my Vista machine to boot with CD, and with the DVD in the CD/DVD drive, it will boot up with Knoppix Linux (similar to Ubuntu).

Too make life easier, I used a utility (on the DVD) to burn the Knoppix OS onto a 8G Flashcard which also allows about 4G to be used to establish a read/write sector. Now I can boot up without the DVD, and just have to press the Esc key during boot up to switch to the Flashcard and the Knoppix OS comes up.

I still like Ubuntu better, maybe the next Ubuntu release will show up as a live DVD on one of the Linux magazines. Just love to say goodbye to that lousy Vista OS!

[scru]

Hey you can also try virtualization. Many people prefer Vmware player, but I like VirtualBox.

[woooee]

You can download an Ubuntu live CD from here (are there are a lot of tutorials on how to put it on a USB drive), but Knoppix is better IMHO because they have tools like GParted for repairing the system. https://help.ubuntu.com/community/LiveCD Also, there is a netbook version if you don't already know https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UNR

[Paul Thompson]

You can also request a free ubuntu CD be shipped to you, no shipping fees or anything. I used to use that when i had dialup internet :).

https://shipit.ubuntu.com/

Hope that helps!

[MaxVK]

Hi Paul ;)

I'm using Ubuntu here and I use a combination of wxWidgets and Geany, sometimes with wxGlade or XRCed to create GUI's.

Iv not really played with any other toolkits for long - wxWidgets seemed to make the most sense to me when I first looked, so I stuck with it.

I use Geany because it allows a single click to test/run your application, although there is nothing like a debugger involved, and it is quick and clean with a tabbed interface.

I noticed a short discussion about apt/synaptic: I don't see much difference between the two, except of course that synaptic makes a whole lot more sense to anyone who has used Windows for any length of time. Really its just about using what you are comfortable with.

As for databases, I have only used sqlite3 for fairly small scale apps, but it seems robust and is quick and easy to use if you have even a basic idea about SQL statements.

If you have any specific questions (just generalities, I'm no expert!) by all means drop me a line - You have my email address.

regards

Max