Glossary of Python related terms

Buildbot
The BuildBot is a system to automate the compile/test cycle required by most software
projects to validate code changes. See http://trac.buildbot.net/.
FiPy
The eponymous software package. See http://www.ctcms.nist.gov/fipy.
Gmsh
A free and Open Source 3D (and 2D!) finite element grid generator. It also has a CAD
engine and post-processor that FiPy does not make use of.
See http://www.geuz.org/gmsh.
IPython
An improved Python shell that integrates nicely with Matplotlib.
See http://ipython.scipy.org/.
Matplotlib
matplotlib Python package displays publication quality results. It displays both 1D X-Y
type plots and 2D contour plots for structured data. It does not display unstructured 2D
data or 3D data. It works on all common platforms and produces publication quality hard
copies. See http://matplotlib.sourceforge.net and Matplotlib.
Mayavi
The mayavi Data Visualizer is a free, easy to use scientific data visualizer. It displays
1D, 2D and 3D data. It is the only FiPy viewer available for 3D data. Other viewers are
probably better for 1D or 2D viewing.
Seehttp://code.enthought.com/projects/mayavi and Mayavi.
MayaVi
The predecessor to Mayavi. Yes, its confusing.
numarray
An archaic predecessor to NumPy.
Numeric
An archaic predecessor to NumPy.
NumPy
The numpy Python package provides array arithmetic facilities.
See http://www.scipy.org/NumPy.
pip
pip installs python is a tool for installing and managing Python packages, such as those
found in PyPI. See http://www.pip-installer.org.
PyAMG
A suite of python-based preconditoners.
See http://code.google.com/p/pyamg/ and PyAMG.
PyPI
The Python Package Index is a repository of software for the Python programming
language. See http://pypi.python.org/pypi.
Pyrex
A mechanism for mixing C and Python code.
See http://www.cosc.canterbury.ac.nz/greg.ewing/python/Pyrex/.
PySparse
The pysparse Python package provides sparse matrix storage, solvers, and linear
algebra routines. Seehttp://pysparse.sourceforge.net and PySparse.
Python
The programming language that FiPy (and your scripts) are written in.
See http://www.python.org/.
Python 3
 The (likely) future of the Python programming language. Third-party packages are slowly
being adapted, but many that FiPy uses are not yet available.
See http://docs.python.org/py3k/ and PEP 3000.
PyTrilinos
Python wrapper for Trilinos. See http://trilinos.sandia.gov/packages/pytrilinos/.
PyxViewer
A now defunct python viewer.
ScientificPython
A collection of useful utilities for scientists. See http://dirac.cnrs-
orleans.fr/plone/software/scientificpython.
SciPy
The scipy package provides a wide range of scientific and mathematical
operations. FiPy can use scipy.weavefor enhanced performance with C language
inlining and Scipys solver suite for linear solutions. Seehttp://www.scipy.org/. and SciPy.
Sphinx
The tools used to generate the FiPy documentation. See http://sphinx.pocoo.org/.
Trilinos
This package provides sparse matrix storage, solvers, and preconditioners, and can be
used instead of PySparse.Trilinos preconditioning allows for iterative solutions to some
difficult problems that PySparse cannot solve. Seehttp://trilinos.sandia.gov and Trilinos.