[SciPy-User] R vs Python for simple interactive data analysis

[Matthew Brett]

Hi,

On Sat, Aug 27, 2011 at 3:06 PM, Wes McKinney <wesmckinn at gmail.com> wrote:
> On Sat, Aug 27, 2011 at 5:03 PM, Jason Grout
> <jason-sage at creativetrax.com> wrote:
>> On 8/27/11 1:19 PM, Christopher Jordan-Squire wrote:
>>> This comparison might be useful to some people, so I stuck it up on a
>>> github repo. My overall impression is that R is much stronger for
>>> interactive data analysis. Click on the link for more details why,
>>> which are summarized in the README file.
>>
>>  From the README:
>>
>> "In fact, using Python without the IPython qtconsole is practically
>> impossible for this sort of cut and paste, interactive analysis.
>> The shell IPython doesn't allow it because it automatically adds
>> whitespace on multiline bits of code, breaking pre-formatted code's
>> alignment. Cutting and pasting works for the standard python shell,
>> but then you lose all the advantages of IPython."
>>
>>
>>
>> You might use %cpaste in the ipython normal shell to paste without it
>> automatically inserting spaces:
>>
>> In [5]: %cpaste
>> Pasting code; enter '--' alone on the line to stop.
>> :if 1>0:
>> :    print 'hi'
>> :--
>> hi
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Jason
>>
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>
> This strikes me as a textbook example of why we need an integrated
> formula framework in statsmodels.

Yes, at a superficial glance Chris' document sounded like an ideal
use-case tester for the battle of the formulas, or, in a less martial
mode, for defining what we want formulas to do.

I got sidetracked on my document on that - and am still sidetracked,
but should get to it soon, by which I mean, in the next month, unless
someone prompts me earlier...

See you,

Matthew