On Wed, Feb 24, 2010 at 8:18 AM, Arthur Gaer <g...@math.harvard.edu> wrote:
> William,
>
> Curt was just asking me about Vpython cause I gather some of his undergrads
> showed him some cool mathematical graphics utilizing it. He thinks they
> might use it in a CS course or two here.
>
> What's the deal with Vpython? It's not already in SAGE, I don't think?
VPython is a distribution of PYthon with some of the other components
of Sage (e.g., numpy) and a library (that uses something called Boost)
to provide interactive 3d capabilities. It's useful for 3d graphics.
Yes, VPython is not in Sage. Nobody has mentioned it seriously on any
Sage mailing lists for about a year, when Jaap made a highly
experimental spkg which would on some versions of Linux, which he
posted here:
http://sage.math.washington.edu/home/jsp/SPKGS/VPython/
> Is there a good reason?
It's difficult.
> Do you have the equivalent functionality in some other way?
No. The main functionality that VPython evidently provides is truly
interactive 3d graphics. Sage doesn't have that.
> Curt's wanting to get it on all our machines, which I tend to resist since
> it will mean upgrading, maintaining it, etc. in perpetuity and adds to
> administrative complexity, and because I've had noone else ever ask for it.
> For things like that I tend to put it on an personal user's computer and
> wait to see if there's ever any more call for it.
>
> What do you think?
I've never used VPython, so I'm not sure what to say. Probably
getting VPython to actually work cross-platform in Sage would be quite
difficult, and that it will almost certainly never be included
standard in Sage. It could be an optional spkg at some point.
-- William
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