I enjoyed moderating a panel in the PyCon AI track with Catherine Nelson, Jodie Burchell, PhD, Jelle Zijlstra, Maike Scherer, and Laís Carvalho about pragmatic workflows using AI tools.

I thought deeply about the messages in the keynotes. I valued the discussions at the Maintainer Summit organized by Mariatta Wijaya, Leah Wasser, Ph.D., and Inessa Pawson. I enjoyed working through Felipe Moreno’s zine mystery.

People are the heart of Python. They have created community and code to empower people around the world. Hope, as eloquently shared by Amanda Casari in her keynote, comes from working together for a greater good - the human condition and future generations.

We can change the current narrative.

P.S. If you have design expertise, please refine these ideas.

I’m still experimenting with different approaches to see what works best. I’ll add more posts as I learn more.

In this post, I’ll document the steps that I took to set up a remote DigitalOcean GPU droplet running Ubuntu with xfce4 for a lightweight GUI and tightvncserver using an SSH tunnel to connect to it. This setup allows me to run napari, interact with it, and run the built-in napari examples with reasonable performance.

⚠️ Use at your own risk. This is not a production setup and is intended for experimentation purposes only.

💰 Costs: I destroy the droplet after each session to avoid incurring costs when the droplet is not in use.

ssh root@<droplet-ip-address>

# set up a new user
usermod -aG sudo sammy
# configure the firewall
ufw app list
ufw allow OpenSSH
ufw enable
ufw status
# copy SSH key to from root to the new user
rsync --archive --chown=sammy:sammy ~/.ssh /home/sammy

ssh sammy@<droplet-ip-address>

# Install packages
sudo apt update
sudo apt install xfce4 xfce4-goodies
sudo apt install tightvncserver

# Start the VNC server to create the initial configuration files
vncserver
# Stop the vnc server before changing the configuration
vncserver -kill :1

# Back up the default xstartup file
mv ~/.vnc/xstartup ~/.vnc/xstartup.bak
# Create a new xstartup file
nano ~/.vnc/xstartup

#!/bin/bash
xrdb $HOME/.Xresources
startxfce4 &

# Make the xstartup file executable
chmod +x ~/.vnc/xstartup
# Start the VNC server
vncserver -localhost
startx xfce
startx

ssh -L 59000:localhost:5901 -C -N -l sammy <droplet-ip-address>

Getting container images

The napari container images are available from the GitHub Container Registry.

There are two types of container images available:

• napari
• napari-xpra

Since I’m running a Mac M2, I’m going to use the napari-xpra container image since it doesn’t require an X server and hopefully will be less finicky.

Getting pyenv

Set up pyenv on your M1 Mac.

brew install pyenv

Add the following to your .zshrc file:

export PYENV_ROOT="$HOME/.pyenv"
export PATH
eval "$(pyenv init --path)"

Restart your terminal.

To test that pyenv is installed, run:

pyenv --version

pyenv install miniforge3

pyenv versions

pyenv local miniforge3

conda

conda list

conda init

conda create -y -n napari-env -c conda-forge python=3.9

conda activate napari-env

python -m pip install "napari[all]"

pip install -e ".[pyside,dev]"

pip install -e ".[dev]"

pre-commit install

python -m pip install -e ".[testing]"

CI=1 pytest

Madlib: AI Ethics Edition

Instructions: Fill in the blanks with the appropriate word types (noun, verb, adjective, etc.) to complete the AI ethics-themed story.

Once upon a time, in a (noun) _______________, there was a brilliant (noun) _______________ named Dr. (name) _______________. Driven by their passion for (noun) _______________, they set out to create an (adjective) _______________ AI system.

But Dr. (name) _______________ knew that building an ethical AI required careful (noun) _______________. They wanted to ensure that their creation was (adjective) _______________, fair, and (adjective) _______________. So, they implemented a set of (plural noun) _______________ to guide the AI’s behavior.

First, the AI was programmed to prioritize (noun) _______________ and protect the (plural noun) _______________ of all individuals. It was designed to respect (noun) _______________ and avoid any (adjective) _______________ or (adjective) _______________ biases.

Next, Dr. (name) _______________ incorporated (plural noun) _______________ that promoted transparency and (noun) _______________. They wanted the AI to be accountable for its actions, allowing users to understand how it (verb) _______________ decisions.

Finally, to prevent (noun) _______________ or (noun) _______________ use, Dr. (name) _______________ programmed the AI to follow strict (plural noun) _______________ and adhere to (adjective) _______________ guidelines.

With their hard work and dedication to AI ethics, Dr. (name) _______________ successfully created an AI system that was not only (adjective) _______________ but also aligned with their values and commitment to (noun) _______________.

And so, the AI ventured into the world, spreading (noun) _______________ and contributing to the (noun) _______________ of society, all while upholding the principles of (noun) _______________.

Remember, when it comes to AI ethics, every (noun) _______________ and (noun) _______________ matters. Let’s work together to create a future where AI serves as a force for good and (verb) _______________ our shared values.

Two concepts will help you get started:

• The difference between git (tool) and GitHub (service)
• The location of code repositories and how to refer to them

Inspired by a talk given at Write Speak Code 2016.

Here’s one on getting started:

As I watch the sunrise, or more accurately the yellow tone in the sky increase, I’m looking forward to starting a new semester or chapter in my technology journey. Today, I’ll be spending my second day moving into a creative workspace and begin to focus full-time on empowering learning and improving interactive, life-long education.

I’m not leaving the Jupyter or Python world. I’m devoted to improving access for all to quality educational materials. I’ll be using a number of tools, such as Jupyter notebooks, Python, JupyterHub, Binder, nteract, p5.js, CircuitPython, mu, and EduBlocks, to create and deliver educational materials and services.

I’m very excited to build some early side projects, such as Crackers the Coding Friend using CircuitPython and Adafruit’s open hardware CircuitPlayground and Crickt. It’s planned to be a whimsical robot friend, using open hardware and software, to help new developers with rubber duck debugging.

I’ll also be building upon a workshop that I gave to middle school and high school students at Cal Poly SLO this summer as part of the EPIC program. The workshop focused on interactivity in computer science, and how interactivity improves the learning experience and exploration of software code.

For the next few weeks, I’ll be getting ready for JupyterCon and sharing with you my vision for Jupyter in Education and the work which we have been doing this past year at Project Jupyter.

Thanks for reading this post. I’m looking forward to sharing more in a future post.

P.S. Thanks to the wonderful friends and family who encourage me to follow my dreams and to make an impact on others. Without your gentle encouragement and seeing something in me which I don’t always see in myself I would not have the courage to build my dreams. Hugs.

For two years, I’ve been able to serve the Python community by putting my non-profit experience and management skills to work. We’ve increased transparency and openness, grown the non-profit’s governance toward best practices for an organization of the PSF’s size, and spread the adoption of Python globally and across industries and academia. The Board and the PSF staff, under Ewa’s leadership, have worked together to make Python a stronger language and community than two years ago.

There’s still work (especially with open source sustainability) to do; yet, I’ll save those thoughts for another post. Instead, I wish to share a few words of thanks to the Python and Jupyter communities. Although I grumble about slow changes when it comes to inclusion at times, I’m so, so grateful for all that I have learned from you.

I’ve learned some of the following:

• oboes, mazes, and motorcycles blend together nicely (thanks Lars)
• selecting talks and tutorials is hard work but worth the effort (thanks PyCon)
• giving a diversity keynote at SciPy is scary and then doing it again as a videotaped PyData Carolinas keynote was overwhelming, but I’m glad that I risked being vulnerable to share my story and the profound impact my mentor had on me (thanks Margot)
• learning and temporary setbacks when coding is much more fun and encouraging when there are others to cheer you on (thanks San Diego Python and PyLadies)
• building and using Jupyter has allowed me to work on a lifelong passion, spreading learning to more people and empowering them to improve the world (thanks Jupyter team and all those that use Jupyter for teaching)
• acts of kindness have a big impact on others, even if you never hear thanks from them (thanks Code Newbies and Write/Speak/Code)
• stepping back is a great alternative to giving up or burning out (thanks to all who have shared their stories with me and listened when I needed a safe place to share)
• communities and people need nurturing and “simple is better than complex” (thanks for the Zen of Python)

What’s wonderful is that this journey isn’t over but rather entering a new phase. As I step away as a PSF Director, I’m confident that the next Board will continue to improve and grow Python and its community. I’m excited to see what the next year brings. I hope to see you at the next CPython or Jupyter sprint and listen to what you are working on.

Thanks friends!

A formal definition of a Fab Lab can be seen at the MIT Center for Bits and Atoms. The Fab Foundation’s website has a map of many Fab Labs around the world and information about the Fab Lab charter and how to start a Fab Lab.

Fab Lab San Diego is my little corner for inspiration and outreach. We’re located in the heart of Makers Quarter. Here are a few links to some videos that give a good sense of Fab Lab San Diego, its mission, and its history.

Learn. Build. Share. Fab Labs and their outreach inspire individuals and build vibrant, innovative communities. I hope you visit one soon.

The wonderful Python community also has itself to thank for allowing this book to come to fruition. The Python newsgroup seems to be one of the final bastions of Usenet where spams are ignored, newbies are treated kindly, and trolls are either ignored or quickly turned into a serious and on-topic discussion. Many smart and friendly people hang out on the newsgroup, and it’s one of the more esoteric reasons many people find using the language enjoyable.

Source: Mark Hammond and Andy Robinson, Python Programming on Win32, O’Reilly & Associates, Inc., 2000.

Mark and Andy shared this quote in the Acknowledgements section of their co-authored book on Python and Windows. Fifteen years later, their words about the Python community still ring true. Personally, I value the many thoughtful and friendly community members that contribute to the Python language and ecosystem. I agree that the “smart and friendly people” of the Python community are one of the key reasons I “find using the language enjoyable”.

Mark and his contributions serve the Python language and community. Mark, congratulations on your award, and thank you!

The mission of the Python Software Foundation is to promote, protect, and advance the Python programming language, and to support and facilitate the growth of a diverse and international community of Python programmers.

Source: Python.org website.

Change, community, and compassion matter. Peace.

Unedited text of a draft letter from May 29, 2014

It’s been almost one year since I experienced AdaCamp San Francisco.

Since AdaCamp, I:

• attended 9 conferences in open source/computing.
• encouraged more female speakers in my local business and tech community.
• co-organize PyLadies in my local city and have strived to build a friendly helpful partnerships with our Python and Javascript and entrepreneurship communities.
• Submitted my first contribution to an open source project (thanks to the GNOME Outreach Program for Women’s encouragement)
• Made over 100 commits to open source projects over the past year.
• Served on the PyCon program committee and PyCon poster presenter.
• I’ve taught and encouraged others – k12 students, undergrad, grad students to men and women reentering the workforce or making a career change.

I did none of these things because I was “paid” to do so. I did these things because they were important to me and my desire to work in a tech community that embraces the value of people above hardware and software. Community means more than a box of parts and bits flying across a network.

One size doesn’t fit all. We are individuals – each with our own unique pasts, life stories, and aspirations.

What was AdaCamp’s role in my past year? Informative. Encouraging. Most honestly, AdaCamp was life changing.

AdaCamp

Listened

Responded thoughtfully

Planned – I have never been to a professional event that was more thoughtful about food/meal planning, accessibility of facilities, quiet areas, community information (medical and crisis).

Strived to be thoughtful. Inclusive.

AdaCamp’s impact beyond just the two official days. Genuine women and allies at Community Leadership Summit, OSCON, LinuxCon, OpenHardware Summit, Grace Hopper, SCALE12x, PyCon, and more.

For many years, I tried to participate in open source but couldn’t muster the confidence to do so. I would gain the confidence and then be discouraged by the unclear instructions to contribute. Ultimately, it was easier to work on other non-profits where I could make a stronger impact.

Yet, software development is something I love doing. I enjoy the puzzle of putting together solutions to problems.

GNOME Outreach for Women Program – to make a “real” contribution to an open source project. Documentation for another project. It took me several months past that to realize that documentation was a “real” contribution in fact it’s a big part of how the community communicates to users and developers.

Safe space. Thoughtful communication. Safe space.

It’s where I thrive and I’m committed to keeping My neighborhood safe for learning, building, and sharing openly.

It matters and changes the world one person at a time. Does it have to be slow if one person at a time? I don’t think so. Call it exponential growth or viral but I’m hoping to seeing a big improvement in numbers and diversity before my children graduate from college six years from now.

Giving back through PyLadies and other local outreach efforts.

Striving to be part of the solution. It’s about people – individuals.

Gentle, thoughtful has a place in technology and business. It’s not orthogonal to good business but instead an essential element of creating and delivering meaningful offerings to others in our diverse, complicated world.

Listen, collaborate, and respond to the people that seem different than you.

To the retiring PSF Board members, I love programming in Python, learning from others, and sharing pyvideo.org talks. To honor the goodness that each of you bring to the Python community, I would like to highlight some of your pyvideo.org talks and celebrate your contributions to Python and our community. Thank you!

Brian Curtin What is the Python Software Foundation The Development of Python and You

Kushal Das Teaching Python: To Infinity and Beyond Darkserver: Help to Debug Userspace

David Mertz Why You Should Use Python 3 for Text Processing Coroutines, Event Loops and the History of Python Generators

Travis Oliphant Building the PyData Community Python in Big Data with and Overview of NumPy and SciPy

Selena Deckelman What Teachers Really Need From Us The Python Pipeline: Why You Should Reach Out to Local Teachers

Jessica McKellar The Future of Python: A Choose Your Own Adventure Diversity in Practice: How the Boston Python User Group grew to 1700 people and over 15% women

While the technology has changed and evolved over the years, interactions with people have remained important through all of the changes. Communicating my ideas and listening to the ideas of others have been critical skills for me for as long as I can remember. I believe communicating and listening are key to solving problems that impact another individual’s life or a community.

As a music lover and amateur band member, I enjoy playing with musicians that are better than me and sharing my limited skill with those that ask for my assistance. One thing that I know is that there is and will always be more music that I enjoy than I will ever be able to play or master. I appreciate the time and effort that other musicians put into their craft.

Like in music, I search out other software developers in my quest to learn a new skill or find a perspective that is different than my own. Whether informally coding at a study group, having a recent grad teach me how to use an app on my phone more effectively, emailing a Python creator, or pair programming at PyTn, I find that most individuals have something very valuable to offer to a new or experienced developer. I’m very thankful that these people choose to share their unique talents. I’m also humbled by their knowledge and motivated to share my own perspective at Write/Speak/Code. Selfishly, I can’t wait to hear the thoughts of the attendees at Write/Speak/Code and their creative ideas too.

A special thanks to Professor JoAnne Yates for teaching me the importance of communicating well with others.