Page - 1 - in Programming for Computations – Python - A Gentle Introduction to Numerical Simulations with Python

1TheFirstFewSteps 1.1 WhatIsaProgram?AndWhatIsProgramming? Today,most people are experiencedwith computer programs, typically programs suchasWord,Excel,PowerPoint, InternetExplorer,andPhotoshop.Theinteraction with suchprograms isusuallyquite simpleand intuitive: youclickonbuttons, pull downmenusandselectoperations,dragvisualelements intolocations,andsoforth. Thepossibleoperationsyoucandointheseprogramscanbecombinedinseemingly an infinitenumberofways,only limitedbyyourcreativityand imagination. Nevertheless, programsoftenmakeus frustratedwhen they cannot dowhatwe wish. One typical situationmight be the following. Say youhave somemeasure- ments froma device, and the data are stored in a filewith a specific format. You 1©TheAuthor(s)2016 S.Linge,H.P.Langtangen,Programming for Computations –Python, Texts inComputational Science andEngineering15,DOI10.1007/978-3-319-32428-9_1