Dual Boot with Linux and note on Python, ParaView and deal.ii

hi guys, I've been attending the physics research meetings at csuf for the last three weeks. I am learning a lot.
My first task was to set up a dual-boot to use the Linux OS Ubuntu with Windows on my laptop. I am really enjoying Ubuntu!

If you are interested in trying it out, I can help explain how to do it, now that I have spent a long time reading so many of the tutorials.

My next task will be to install and learn ParaView and deal.ii. There are about 36 video lectures provided just on how to work the different parts of deal.ii.

Here is a note for Python, from Dr. Read: "Most of the code I work with still uses Python 2.7, which I think is common in science. We also use the numpy and scipy libraries extensively."

The primary languages their group uses are C++, Python and Mathematica, then they use the software such as ParaView and deal.ii. The software is open source.

The research at csuf is about gravitational waves. The group has access to the LIGO and works on reducing the "noise" on the LIGO measurements; simulating two black hole collisions at varying speeds and spins using different algorithms and hybrids of numerical and post-neutonian analysis, and simulating collisions with two neutron stars, or a neutron star with a black hole.

There are about 30 lectures, each 30ish minutes long. The lectures are part of a course called Math 676 which is about practical applications of the Finite Element Method in Scientific Computation. Specifically, it focuses on the Finite Element library deal.ii. This is really worthwhile for you to watch, even if you do not have the math background... He goes over some interesting stuff about code.

http://www.math.tamu.edu/~bangerth/videos.676.1.html

Enjoy.