Archive for July, 2009

First Impressions of IronPython

July 31st, 2009

I stumbled across a book sale a few days ago and bought a few programming books. One of them was IronPython in Action.  I had played with Python a number of years ago; I believe I was first introduced to the language in late 2001.  I evaluated it as a language for a local Unix shop to use to replace a couple of proprietary languages.  I found it quite appealing at the time and we ended up recommending it over Perl, Ruby and Tcl.  And then I proceeded to not use Python for anything over the last 8 years.  Its kinda like the time I learned Pascal just so I could help a girl that I liked that was in a Pascal class, but that is a different story and it didn’t work out anyway.

IronPython, as you may or may not know, is an implementation of Python built on top of the .Net Common Language Runtime.  The level of integration I have found between Python and the .Net Framework is uncanny.  I had a Windows Forms window with controls up on the screen in 5 minutes of programming.  On top of the actual .Net integration, the Visual Studio integration is also quite good.  Designing a Windows Form is about the same as it would be for a C# or VB.Net application.

I am only a couple of chapters into the book, but so far I have found IronPython to be a join to work with and I am already looking forward to a chance to use it professionally.  I will post a book review when I am finished.

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Posted in .Net, Books, Programming

Book Review: Uncertainty: Einstein, Heisenberg, Bohr, and the Struggle for the Soul of Science

July 22nd, 2009

I just finished reading Uncertainty: Einstein, Heisenberg, Bohr, and the Struggle for the Soul of Science.  The book covers the development of atomic theory, quantum theory, and most importantly, quantum mechanics in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  The central figures are the de facto fathers of modern physics.  The author, David Lindley, doesn’t delve too deeply into the math or even hard science of the topic but instead focuses on the personalities of Born, Bohr, The Curries, Einstein, Heisenberg and others prominently represented in the book.

The author could have taken a deeper dive into the actual physics.  Throughout much of the book Einstein and Company battle Heisenberg and Company for “the soul of science” aka Einstein’s more classical views vs. Heisenberg’s quantum mechanics.  I would have appreciated a more thorough discussion of which concepts have really taken hold in quantum mechanics.  For example, Lindley discussed how the Schrödinger’s cat analogy (Schrödinger being from the Einstein camp) has been abandoned by modern physicists as misrepresenting what is know about quantum mechanics.  What are the facts, as understood by the leading physicists today?  I would have happily read another 10 or 20 pages covering what has made it into the modern view, and what hasn’t.  That being said, this book did a marvelous job framing the arguments so that they can be understood by the lay person.  The characters are brought to life and humanized.  I felt the author treated everyone more than fairly.  I would recommend it to anyone wanting a better idea of quantum mechanics without having to learn too much science.

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Posted in Books, Science

The Princeton Companion to Mathematics, or Why Didn’t I Pay Attention in College?

July 6th, 2009

I recently started “reading” The Princeton Companion to Mathematics.  I put “reading” in quotes (twice) because reading this book is work.  Just the introductory sections take serious effort if one is reading to completely grasp the subject matter.  The Companion covers a lot of ground, and I am only about 100 pages into a 1008 page book.  Why did I pick this brick of a book for my next reading?  Seriously, you could murder someone with this book (either by hitting someone over the head with it, or by making them read it).

I have become interested in a couple of math-heavy subject lately in computer science.  Artificial Intelligence and Bayesian Nets are just two subjects that require serious math knowledge.  It seems like I keep running into a wall of my own mathematical ignorance.  I started searching for math books to learn various topics.  It seemed like everything was either “Math for Dummies”, or too advanced for someone 10+ years passed their last math class.  The Companion was meant for those with advanced high school math and some college math, so I though it would be perfect for me.  And so far it has, but the 100 pages I have read have been some of the toughest I have ever read.

Something else tough about this book is its size.  Its huge.  Just finding a comfortable reading position can be difficult.  Sitting in our living room reading, I feel like I am behind the technological curve holding such a tome.  Rita sits in her chair comfortably reading her Kindle while I hold 1008 pages of hardcover book up.  Or rest it on the arm rest and try to position myself. Sheesh!

Still, I have gained some confidence in my purchase as I have gotten 100 pages deep into the book.  If nothing else, I have relearned some concepts I once knew and have also learned some of the right questions to ask.  I honestly don’t know if I will ever finish this monster, but I am confident that as long as I continue to put forth effort I will continue to reap the rewards.

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Posted in Books