<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html;
charset=windows-1252">
</head>
<body text="#000000" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
Colleagues<br>
<br>
I am a retired NOAA fisheries oceanographer, and my primary analysis
tools are R and NCL. I do not currently program in Python. I have
read the "pivot to Python" report, and I understand the reasoning
for the change both in terms of declining funding support, and in
terms of leveraging development on tools already in place in the
Python sphere. The Internet is littered with tools that were very
good but are no longer supported, for various reasons. Clearly R and
Python are thriving survivors. <br>
<br>
One thing that gives me confidence about the "pivot to Python" is
that the developers and reviewers of the tool are clearly not only
trying to ensure that NCL does not become on of those abandoned
tools, but they are planning a transition to a new tool that
leverages the success of Python, and adds to Python's visualization
and computational tool kit. The transition appears to be well
organized, and is designed to facilitate the continued viability of
currently operational NCL code. I would have been surprised if the
NCL developer group allowed anything less, given how well NCL is
currently organized.<br>
<br>
It appears from what I have read that this transition is a done
deal. I'd characterize myself (perhaps generously) as an
intermediate-level NCL user. I've spent several years getting to
this level after taking one of the excellent courses. I now find
myself at the bottom of a hill that I had planned to climb (when I
had time, which I do now ...). My question to the list is pretty
simple. I've got the "Transition Guide - NCL to PyNGL" and the "NCL
and Python examples" (thank you!!). I have Johnny Lins "Hands-on
introduction to using Python in the Atmospheric and Oceanic
Sciences". I have the web pages for installing Python 3.7 and
Anaconda on Ubuntu 18.04. Is this it? Should I dive in? <br>
<br>
What users like myself could use, I think, is a clear outline of the
steps to transition. I presume the the code that I formerly would
write in NCL will now be written in Python. So ... <br>
<ul>
<li> Which version of Python should I install? The R CRAN web
pages for example have useful installation information for
various OS. Looks like we install Python 3, not the default
Python 2.7 on an Ubuntu machine or in Lin's book references. A
link to an install guide might be helpful, e.g.
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="https://linuxize.com/post/how-to-install-python-3-7-on-ubuntu-18-04/"><https://linuxize.com/post/how-to-install-python-3-7-on-ubuntu-18-04/></a>.</li>
<li>We need to install Anaconda to get all of the packages
including PyNGL
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="https://linuxize.com/post/how-to-install-anaconda-on-ubuntu-18-04/"><https://linuxize.com/post/how-to-install-anaconda-on-ubuntu-18-04/></a>.</li>
<li>Do you recommend using IPython or Jupyter notebooks? Actually
this is one area where debugging code will be improved over the
current situation in NCL, I think. </li>
</ul>
<p>That's basically it, right? After those installs, all we have do
is learn to code in Python ... Well, OK, I mean, I was going to do
it anyway (when I had time) ... which I do. So ... what am I
waiting for? Right?<br>
</p>
Best fishes<br>
Sam<br>
<div class="moz-signature">-- <br>
<meta content="text/html; charset=windows-1252"
http-equiv="content-type">
<title>email signature</title>
Sam McClatchie (fisheries oceanographer)<br>
& Elena Turin (accounting & auditing)<br>
FishOcean Enterprises<br>
38 Upland Rd, Huia, Auckland 0604, New Zealand<br>
cell: 027 752 8495<br>
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a
href="http://www.fishocean.info">Internet</a></span><br>
<img style="width: 150px; height: 149px;" alt=""
src="cid:part2.0B168514.9E895E53@fishocean.info" class=""><br>
<br>
"The time has come", the tui said,<br>
"to talk of many things:<br>
Of songs - and ferns - and flowering flax,<br>
of Pukekos and dreams ..."<br>
<br>
(not Lewis Carroll) </div>
</body>
</html>