[Texmacs-dev] Texmacs versus Ipython notebook

[François Beaubert]

Hi all,

I'm discovering Texmacs and it feels better and better each day.
I use python+numpy+scipy+matplotlib as my main framework for
computation/postprocessing.

I'm currently using Texmacs as a scientific notebook to keep some
ideas, tests well organized and beautifully presented. I was using
emacs+org-mode+babel previously for those kind of feature.

I recently discovered Ipython notebook
http://ipython.org/ipython-doc/dev/interactive/htmlnotebook.html
Some of the main features of the Notebook include:

Display rich data (png/html/latex/svg) in the browser as a result of
computations:

o Compose text cells using HTML and Markdown.
o Import and export notebook documents in range of formats (.ipynb, .py).
o In browser syntax highlighting, tab completion and autoindentation.
o Inline matplotlib plots that can be stored in Notebook documents and
opened later.

Well I scratch my head and taught that Texmacs could perhaps do that
and in a better way.
So I'm humbly asking you if future developments of Texmacs are going
in this direction or if this feature could be on the TODO list.

Right now I think that Texmacs's potential is really really awesome,
it perhaps only lacks some feature like:

o syntax highlighting of python (or other language)
o proper multiline editing
o tab completion of command, method object, etc
o graphical calltips for inline help on the method, function
o automatic way to display Inline matplotlib plots


Ipython has a very lightweight widget that largely feels like a
terminal, but provides a number of enhancements such as inline
figures, multiline editing with syntax highlighting, graphical
calltips, etc. See
http://ipython.org/ipython-doc/dev/interactive/qtconsole.html

I'm wondering if it could be possible to use this widget in the Qt
version of Texmacs or to develop a plugin to achieve the same goal ?
Such features could be awesome for Texmacs.

Anyway I would like to thanks all the developers for their excellent
and hard work, Texmacs is sooo great !
Cheers
Francois

p.s: some videos for those of you who don't know the Ipython notebook

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaS4NXxL5Qc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2G5YTlheCbw

ipython_notebook.png
Description: PNG image

ipython_qtconsole.png
Description: PNG image

notebook_specgram.png
Description: PNG image