Quote: On Group Reogranization

Ever feel like your company/team/group reorganizes far too often and for unnecessary reasons? Here's an interesting quote on the matter:

We trained hard, but it seemed that every time we were beginning to form up into teams, we would be reorganized. I was to learn later in life that we tend to meet any new situation by reorganizing; and a wonderful method it can be for creating the illusion of progress while producing confusion, inefficiency, and demoralization.

Gaius Petronius Arbiter, Roman Satirist, 210 BC
or
Robert Townsend, 'Up The Organization' 1970

Curve Fitting and Plotting in Python: Two Simple Examples

Following are two examples of using Python for curve fitting and plotting. I'm using Python in a style that mimics Matlab -- although I could have used a pure object oriented style if I wanted, as the
matplotlib library for Python allows both.

Example 1: Linear Fit

import numpy
from matplotlib.pyplot import *

x = [-7.30000, -4.10000, -1.70000, -0.02564,
     1.50000, 4.50000, 9.10000]
y = [-0.80000, -0.50000, -0.20000, 0.00000,
     0.20000, 0.50000, 0.80000]

coefficients = numpy.polyfit(x, y, 1)
polynomial = numpy.poly1d(coefficients)
ys = polynomial(x)
print coefficients
print polynomial

plot(x, y, 'o')
plot(x, ys)
ylabel('y')
xlabel('x')
xlim(-10,10)
ylim(-1,1)
show()

y = 0.10160693 x - 0.02865838

Example 2: 6th Order Polynomial Fit

from numpy import *
from matplotlib.pyplot import *

x = [2.53240, 1.91110, 1.18430, 0.95784, 0.33158,
     -0.19506, -0.82144, -1.64770, -1.87450, -2.2010]

y = [-2.50400, -1.62600, -1.17600, -0.87400, -0.64900,
     -0.477000, -0.33400, -0.20600, -0.10100, -0.00600]

coefficients = polyfit(x, y, 6)
polynomial = poly1d(coefficients)
xs = arange(-2.2, 2.6, 0.1)
ys = polynomial(xs)

plot(x, y, 'o')
plot(xs, ys)
ylabel('y')
xlabel('x')
show()

y = -0.00412906x⁶ - 0.00160756x⁵ + 0.03629611x⁴ - 0.02020429x³ - 0.17468383x² - 0.30660343x - 0.5139088

References

1. Python
2. matplotlib
3. scipy/numpy

Vim Scripts I Use When Editing Python Source

Following are some public vim scripts I have found the most useful for editing python source files:

• ftplugin/python_fn.vim -- A set of shortcuts and menus to move around and select code blocks
• ftplugin/python_ifold.vim -- Smart folding
• ftplugin/pydoc.vim -- View Python's online help in a vim window
• ftplugin/pythoncomplete.vim --Omni complete
• syntax/python.vim -- Enhanced Python syntax highlighting
• plugin/taglist.vim -- Source code browser
• plugin/NERD_commenter.vim --Easy commenting/uncommenting lines of code
• plugin/NERD_tree.vim -- Integrated file/folder browser; entries are displayed in a tree style
• plugin/pyflakes.vim -- Highlights common Python errors