.. _glossary:

Glossary
--------

.. glossary::

   FiPy
      The eponymous software package. 
      See http://www.ctcms.nist.gov/fipy.

   gist
      Another name for :term:`Pygist`.

   gnuplot
      A popular open-source plotting program.
      See http://gnuplot.sorceforge.net/.

   Gmsh
      A free and Open Source 3D (and 2D!) finite element grid generator. It
      also has a CAD engine and post-processor that :term:`FiPy` does not
      make use of. See http://www.nist.gov/cgi-bin/exit_nist.cgi?url=http://www.geuz.org/gmsh.

   Matplotlib
      :mod:`matplotlib` :term:`Python` package displays publication quality
      results. It displays both 1D X-Y type plots and 2D contour plots for
      structured data. It does not display unstructured 2D data or 3D data.
      It works on all common platforms and produces publication quality hard
      copies. See 
      http://www.nist.gov/cgi-bin/exit_nist.cgi?url=http://matplotlib.sourceforge.net.

   Mayavi
      The :mod:`mayavi` Data Visualizer is a free, easy to use scientific data
      visualizer.  It displays 1D, 2D and 3D data. It is the only :term:`FiPy`
      viewer available for 3D data. Other viewers are probably better for 1D
      or 2D viewing. 

   MayaVi
      The predecessor to :term:`Mayavi`. Yes, it's confusing.

   numarray
      An archaic predecessor to :term:`NumPy`.

   Numeric
      An archaic predecessor to :term:`NumPy`.

   NumPy
      The :mod:`numpy` :term:`Python` package provides array arithmetic 
      facilities. See
      http://www.nist.gov/cgi-bin/exit_nist.cgi?url=http://www.scipy.org/NumPy.

   Pygist
      The :term:`Pygist` package can be used to display simulation results. It
      displays both 1D X-Y type plots and 2D contour plots for both
      structured and unstructured data. It does not display 3D
      data. Although stated as working on Windows, it does not seem to do a
      good job of rendering on this platform. :term:`Pygist` works fine on other
      common platforms. :term:`Pygist` no longer seems to be under development, but
      is still recommended as a fast light weight alternative to
      :term:`Matplotlib`.

   Pyrex
      A mechanism for mixing C and Python code.
      See http://www.cosc.canterbury.ac.nz/greg.ewing/python/Pyrex/.

   PySparse
      The :mod:`pysparse` :term:`Python` package provides sparse matrix
      storage, solvers, and linear algebra routines. See
      http://www.nist.gov/cgi-bin/exit_nist.cgi?url=http://pysparse.sourceforge.net.

   Python
      The programming language that :term:`FiPy` (and your scripts) are
      written in. See
      http://www.nist.gov/cgi-bin/exit_nist.cgi?url=http://www.python.org/.

   ScientificPython
      A collection of useful utilities for scientists. See 
      http://dirac.cnrs-orleans.fr/plone/software/scientificpython.

   SciPy
      The :mod:`scipy` :term:`Python` pacakge provides a wide range of
      scientific and mathematical operations. :term:`FiPy` can use
      :mod:`scipy.weave` for enhanced performance with C language inlinine.
      See
      http://www.nist.gov/cgi-bin/exit_nist.cgi?url=http://www.scipy.org/.

   Sphinx
      The tools used to generate the :term:`FiPy` documentation.
      See
      http://www.nist.gov/cgi-bin/exit_nist.cgi?url=http://sphinx.pocoo.org/.

   Trilinos
      This package proives sparse matrix storage, solvers, and
      preconditioners, and can be used instead of :term:`PySparse`.
      :term:`Trilinos` preconditioning allows for iterative solutions to
      some difficult problems that :term:`PySparse` cannot solve. See
      http://www.nist.gov/cgi-bin/exit_nist.cgi?url=http://trilinos.sandia.gov.


