Setting up PyDev for Ubuntu

Today I have done some more learning of python. Dive Into Python so far has been my favourite way to learn the language as the progression through topics seems fast, and the author assumes that the programmer is not an idiot while still offering useful tips!

However, I like an IDE to help me program to I started looking today at the Python options there are in linux. I didn’t feel like spending too much time looking, so I did a quick check through the software installer in Ubuntu. The installed and had a brief look at the following options:

• Eric
• PyDev w/ Eclipse
• Pida
• SPE

What astounded me most was how simple to use all these IDEs were. Within seconds I could figure out how to use them, but I didn’t feel like doing an in-depth review of each.

Out of those listed, I chose to go with PyDev because Eclipse is cross-platform and looks good. It wasn’t so much that I liked it particularly much but I had some problems with the other choices. Eric is Qt based which looks horrible in Gnome on Ubuntu (other than that, the range of features is fantastic) . SPE was unfortunately not as stable as I would have liked (it is still quite young but promising looking) and Pida was great, albeit a little too simple and clean for my liking.

So once I settled on Eclipse I had to figure out how to get it working. In theory it should be as simple as installing the eclipse and pydev packages from the universe repository in Ubuntu, but little did I know post-install configuration was actully require, and something called Jython also needs to be installed.

Basically once you’ve installed those three packages you need to go to the preferences page in Eclipse, and under the PyDev options set paths to the Python and Jython interpretters. On my system the paths were /usr/bin/python and /usr/lib/eclipse/org.python.pydev.jython_1.2.0.jython.jar respectively.

After that the PyDev plugin should work fine. I’m not sure why this setup process isn’t automatic when the package is installed, but once you know the procedure it isn’t too hard!

Let’s improve Ubuntu Linux!

To me, the core feature, the absolute killer program and piece of software I couldn’t be without that gets me using Ubuntu is the Synaptic Package manager and its variants (Software Update etc.)

For those of you who don’t know, the Synaptic Package Manager allows you to search for and install software without having to go and manually download setups and follow install wizards. For example if I wanted to install the firestarter firewall and Inkscape (two medium sized applications which would take me about 20 minutes to download and install on my slow laptop in windows) I only have to open up the Synaptic Package Manager, click search, find the two programs and mark them for installation, and then apply my changes.

I can now walk out the room, get a drink and some food and come back in about 5 to 10 minutes with both programs fully installed. That’s it!

Now what about having to update these programs as new versions are released? Easy. Ubuntu handles all my updates for me, downloads security updates as they become available then prompts me to install them. I only need to click “Apply” for my updates and leave the computer to do the rest. Easy!

But what about software not in the Ubuntu software repositories? While there are over 18,000 different packages which can be installed through Synaptic, there does come a time when something isn’t in a repository and this is where I believe Ubuntu has room for improvement.

When installing software, like the Opera Web Browser, which can only be downloaded from Opera, the annoying process of Download, Locate, Double-click and install comes back. But what if there was a single, small file which could be downloaded and double-clicked on that adds new repositories without any sort of technical know-how?

For one, many people don’t know that Opera actually offers a repository for its web browser, so any updates to the program can be updated using the automatic processes built into Ubuntu.

The following screenshot is from Synaptic Package Manager and shows the difference between the repo Opera and the static Opera install (the download and install manually one)

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This clean solution means I never need to worry about keeping Opera up to date again, Ubuntu takes on that responsibility. If only there was a simpler way to add repositories and install third party software into Ubuntu!

What has opened the door for computers in the last five years?

I was thinking the other day about why on earth microsoft has taken nearly 6 years to release an update to windows XP. After all, in this world of ever changing technology, 6 year old software seems ancient. I know the linux distro I am using now, Ubuntu, is less than a month old, my web browser (firefox 1.5) was released 9 months ago, and this computer is only a touch over one year old.

Instead of just getting upset at Microsoft for their delayed release, I had a little think about the advantages of such a long wait, and I came to realise that the delay has furthered the move of computers into our everyday lifestyle. When I first got my laptop, three and a half years ago, it was super cool for a laptop. It has a P4 1.7 Gz, 256 Mb RAM (more than my desktop computer then) and a 20 Gb hard drive. It also cost $3,700 Australian dollars. Now my new desktop, which has a decent graphics card, 1GB ram, 80 gb HD, 17in LCD, samsung speakers, DVD-RW, AMD Athlon 2800+, cost about $1000 Australian dollars.

Now sure, this computer isn’t a laptop, but it can run two OSes really fast at the same time, and does everything I could ever want it to do in no time at all. But when Vista comes out, this machine will struggle and suffer under the weight of tonnes of dynamically linked libraries (dlls). So actually, the delay in a release of a new OS has meant that hardware has improved and become cheaper. The delay has also meant that hundreds of thousands of applications are available for windows.

So how has this opened the door for more widespread adoption of computers? Well it means cheaper computers, with better support, more reliability (hey, they’ve had ages to patch it!) and a familiarity which is rivalled by no other long lasting operating system (except maybe OS X which has had 4 releases that all resemble eachother strongly!).

Now compare this to Ubuntu. Every six months a new version is released, and support typically lasts for only 18 months after each release (one year after the next version is released). Is this really helpful for a market? The best attempt, I feel, at a linux distribution for everybody is the upcoming Suse Linux Enterprise Desktop. It is a release aimed at a longer term lifecycle (probably 3-5 years). The longer lifecycle means that the next OS has more time to be created, modified, tweaked, stress tested and stabilised.

As much as I do love my Ubuntu, the last version made experience, first hand, the shortcomings of a short testing cycle. Unforseen problems with the installer and kernel, including installation CDs which wouldn’t even boot up on one of my friends computers, really doesn’t made Ubuntu seem polished at all!

All in all, a long release cycle allows an OS to become more widespread. It gives application developers more time to create progams for it, users more time to become familiar with it, and hardware vendors lower specs to make computers for. Everything here leaders to cheaper, faster, familiar computer for your average joe, which in the long run means more money for software companies, and a higher proliferation of computer skills in the world.