You Don’t Need No Stinkin’ IDE! – Configuring Vim For Python Programming

Vim

Many Linux users have been out there long enough to get used to a text editor.  Sure, you can always use an IDE to do your programming, and they do have nice features for good workflow, but I wanted to go through a couple tweaks that will make Python programming easier for those who prefer the command line.  I myself setup a double tab in my shell window, one for execution/compiling and one for the project I am working on.  With that said let’s look at a few tweaks to vim:

Looking For a Great Way To Learn Python Without Being Bored To Death?

credit: Amazon

Python Programming for the Absolute Beginner, 3rd Edition, is one of the most novel programming books I have seen. You learn by creating simple games/programs.  The book is presented as a “learn by the seat of your pants” approach that is actually fun, unlike most coding manuals.   Typical programming  books (yes, even O’Reily), bore me to death after a while.  Keep in mind, that is no fault of O’Reily, but of my own short attention span.

I highly suggest you give this Python book a try.  As soon as I opened the book, I was very impressed with the presentation.  I didn’t feel as if they expected me to know everything, and the objectives were quite well laid out.  I felt as if the author understood I wasn’t an expert of have used other coding languages.

From the wording, to the excellent layout, to the actual realistic number of pages, I very much  am enjoying this textbook.  Trust me, start with this book, before you graduate to the 1500 (yes you read that right) page O’Reily book.  The book was just updated Enjoy!

Check it out now on Amazon.

Coding Highlights: Starting To Code with … Pokemon?

I sometimes don’t get enough time to do all that I want.  I have many interests, and sitting down every night to delve into programming just isn’t at my core, even if it interests me greatly.  Enter Pallet Town Programming from dominickm.com!  Famous for his musings on Coder Radio of the Jupiter Broadcasting network, Michael Dominic combines your love of Pokemon (how can you not like them?) and your burgeoning curiosity for programming.  While a new venture for Dominic, I hope to see more posts like this from him.  It is a different way to get started with programming, and is very welcomed.  Head on over to his blog to check it out.

Time Travel: An Amusing Conversation About C/C++

Just some interesting conversation to end your day:  Oh Linus, you never cease to make me laugh:

http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.comp.version-control.git/57643/focus=57918

_professor

How-To Session: Installing Netbeans with JRE and JDK

Warning: Do NOT follow this guide if the default installation of NetBeans works for you, this is meant as a guide if NetBeans will not work due to conflicting packages such as JRE (java runtime enviroment) and JDK (java development kit)

I currently use Arch Linux as my main GNU\Linux distribution. That said this may apply only to Arch Linux, but I feel it applies to all distros, as I have tested it on others as well. By default, the installation of NetBeans will fail to start for many due to the fact it cannot find Java and tells you to: “Cannot find java. Please use the –jdkhome switch.” Of course this is ludacris, so I search forums and returned the following useful pages:

Suns Recommendations (see below)
Arch Linux Forum Post

With the first link, I found that at least under Arch, that directory DOES NOT exist. The config file is actually located in “/usr/share/netbeans/bin/netbeans/etc/netbeans.conf” That was error number one. Error number two was Sun telling you to “unmark netbeans_jdkhome” and to ” link to JDK location e.g. /usr/local/share/java/jdk1.6.0_07/” in that “netbeans.conf” file. WRONG again (again, at least for Arch Linux). This could be fixed via the second link provided above, running “netbeans – -jdkpath /opt/java/jre” but for most users, they do not want to type this EVERY time then run netbeans right?

To fix this after netbeans is installed, ensure you have both “jre” and “jdk” installed on your respective distribution. After that follow these steps:

1. open up Terminal
2. cd to “/usr/share/netbeans/etc”
3. type “nano netbeans.conf” or “vim netbeans.conf”
4. Unlike what SUN told you, instead or editing the “netbeans_jdkhome” line, go to the line that reads “command line switches”
5. Append the option like so “–jdkpath /opt/java/jre” to the END of the “netbeans_default_options=” block. You MUST leave a space after the previous option as such: “PREVIOUS-OPTION –jdkpath /opt/java/jre”
6. save the file and exit Terminal
7. Note: infront of “jdkpath those are (2) “dashes” HTML just likes to make them appear as one line, but they are in fact – –

You now should be able to start Net Beans in Terminal by doing “netbeans” or via the GUI in you applications menu. Thats it! Enjoy!

_Nano