Brian Powell

Can someone say that? Get rid of matlab? Well, it is becoming more possible by the day. It isn't without work. No, this is not some clone/copy of matlab, but an entirely new environment built using python. A real language. Open Source. No annual fees.

 Rob Hetland at Texas A&M has been carrying this torch and has slowly been grinding me down on these very points, and I have to say that I may have finally caved. Numerical Python (numpy) provides the foundation for python to become a numerical powerhouse. BLAS/Atlas? Used natively by numpy. FFTW? Used natively by numpy. MatPlotLib provides the plotting engine, and we are mostly there.

 I encourage you to start investigating by going to Rob's python webpage. Here you will find how to download, install, and get working.
 

Now, the transfer from matlab to python is not without its issues and pains. We are all still working through some of these. The first issue encountered is simply learning a new language. As I stated, this is not a clone of matlab, but something entirely new. Your new found knowledge of "vectorising" your code will carry over, but the matlab syntax will not. This is a learning curve issue and is overcome once you understand and write in python.

 The biggest issue to me is that the rest of the world uses matlab. The inertia is difficult to overcome. I oftentimes have to create the same work twice (I know, I know) because someone will ask if they can use my routines. Forging a new path in 4DVAR implementations requires that you help the people coming up behind you. Sadly, I can't require them to use python. The only hope is that enough of us will virally spread this improved way of working.

 Does python work for you? Let me know.

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