Starting Coursera course "Computational Investing Part 1"

As I previously mentioned, I ended up dropping "Coding the Matrix".  I'll likely try it again in the future.  The combination of taking two courses and dealing with some other issues was just too much for me.  The structure of the lectures and the focus on vocabulary was just too much for me.

Well, I started "Computational Investing Part 1" today. 

I started installing the software early this morning.  It turns out, at least for now, I had to remove the 64 bit versions of Python 2.7.5 and 3.3.2.  It appears there is a virtual environment program I can use to keep all of the versions I used installed at the same time and the various installers will work fine.  I may deal with that next time.  For now I have the 32 bit version of Python 2.7.5 installed. 

I have anxiety issues.  Having to drop "Coding the Matrix" has set me back.  I nearly dropped this new course after having so much problem getting the required software loaded.  It appears much of the 32 bit software is packaged in an executable installer.  The newer stuff is packages in zip files where one runs python from the command line.  I don't know.  Maintaining so many versions of packages with several installers seems like a lot of work.  I guess the newer method won't be so scary one I learn it.

Even people who don't want to learn Python but are interested in the stock market will find the lectures interesting.  I already knew most of what was discussed in the Week 1 lectures.

Since I've installed all of the software Week 2 lectures and homework should go pretty quickly tomorrow.

I haven't spent as much time learning Python as I'd like.  Here's my sloppy documentation of the software needed for Computational Investing Part 1:

install in this order
Python 2.7.5
numpy
scipy
dateutil
pyparsing
matplotlib
pandas
setuptools
cvxopt
scikit-learn
scikit-statsmodel
qstk

From this set of Files
cvxopt-1.1.4.win32-py2.7.exe
matplotlib-1.3.0.win32-py2.7.exe
numpy-1.7.1.win32-py2.7.exe
pandas-0.12.0.win32-py2.7.exe
pyparsing-2.0.1.win32-py2.7.exe
python-2.7.5.msi
python-dateutil-1.5.win32.exe
QSTK-0.2.6.win32.exe
Readme.py
scikit-learn-0.14.1.win32-py2.7.exe
scipy-0.11.0-win32-superpack-python2.7.exe
setuptools-0.6c11.win32-py2.7.exe
statsmodels-0.5.0.win32-py2.7.exe