Beyond Hello World: A Future-Proof Python Environment with Nix & Pipulate

Setting the Stage: Context for the Curious Book Reader

This piece delves into an interesting approach to establishing a robust, future-proof development environment—a methodology important to know in the Age of AI. Beginning with a familiar “Hello, World!” in Python, it quickly transitions into a powerful way for installing and managing cutting-edge AI tools like Pipulate using the Nix package manager. This soliloquy emphasizes practical, hands-on setup, crucial for any developer looking to stay ahead in the rapidly evolving tech landscape, offering a foundation for future AI projects and continued learning within this evolving tapestry.

Technical Journal Entry Begins

One, it’s time to learn you some Python, if you don’t already know it.

Hello World is your starting point as it is with most programming languages. The idea here is just what is the minimum code to get “Hello, World!” to output. Every language has its Hello World introduction and the one that gets installed with Pipulate is to say “Hello” to an AI. It fast-tracks things because the

Workflow: Managing Your Development Terminal

“Hello, World!” program in Python, particularly under a Juptyer Notebook is:

"Hello, World!"

Notice there is not even a print() function around it. That is because in Jupyter Notebooks whatever value is on the last line of the cell automatically gets displayed with the built-in display() function, almost the same as print() but prettier.

Python’s “Hello, World!” with Jupyter

The full-blown deluxe bells-and-whistles “Hello, World!” program in Python which also works just fine in a Notebook is:

print("Hello, World!")

With one version you’ll see single-quotes shown “around” it and in the other you won’t. You don’t really need to understand the difference right now suffice to say one’s using the display() function and the other’s (being forced) to use the print() function.

And that’s it. That’s Python’s “Hello, World!” example with and without Jupyter Notebook. The first example only prints the output in an .ipynb file. It would still do something in the .py-file equivalent. You just wouldn’t see any output.

There, now you’re ready for the more advanced version you’ll find in AI_HelloWorld.ipynb that Pipulate installs.

The Path to Future-Proofing Your AI Skills

Okay, are you in AI_HelloWorld.ipynb?

Now you are off the beaten track. Sorry. I am going to future-proof your skills against the relentless churn of tech. You will curse me now and thank me later. I like being aligned with my co-workers so I hope you will get over this hump.

If you don’t have Pipulate installed yet, that is key. It will automatically update and re-synchronize with all the wonderful updates I’m pushing out at you with is like the central theme of my life right now, so hop on that bandwagon. You will make me cry if you don’t.

This is a matter of TWO THINGS.

3 Steps to Future-Proofing Yourself in the Age of AI

1. Install something called Nix on your system. This is magic faerie dust. There is a more complete explanation I am happy to provide. But you do it with this command and it can be easily undone if you don’t like it.

   curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf -L https://install.determinate.systems/nix | sh -s -- install
   

   It will ask you for your boot-up hardware login password and make you answer “yes” twice. Answer “yes” twice.

   This has changed things about your system so you have to actually close that terminal and open an new one. Don’t let this be a non-starter. Power through it! Forcibly close the terminal just by clicking on the red circle in the upper-left. It’s fine to force-close terminals.

2. Have you closed that last terminal? It’s important. The next command won’t work unless you’ve started a new terminal since you’ve installed Nix. Still with me? Ready? Okay here’s the next command:

   curl -L https://pipulate.com/install.sh | sh -s Botifython
   

   This will finish rather quickly and leave you hanging in a terrible anti-climatic feeling. Worry not! You have just wound the catapult. The rope just needs to be cut to sproing Pipulate onto your system.

3. Now you must cd in to the folder you just created. See that Botifython up there in that last command? That’s your AIE (AI Education) Software white-labeling. It was going to be SEO Software white-labeling but AIE is so much cooler because it’s pronounced “Ayyy” like the Fonz. Now in that same terminal (no more need to force-close terminals) type:

   cd ~/Botifython
   nix develop
   

Sit back and enjoy the fun! It’s way more geeky to get to this point than I would like but this is the price of solving the “write once run anywhere” holy grail of tech problem. It’s solved! This is it. This put a Linux subsystem on your Mac (or whatever) and installed a git repository on it. It is currently “expanding” or “upgrading” a very simple file-copy into a real git repo on your machine so it can auto-update in the future when you re-run nix develop.

Now here’s the thing.

It’s going to be hard to absorb this. I promise you this will sound strange and you’re going to have to just get over it.

That terminal window you just typed nix develop on needs to stay open while you use Pipulate. It’s fun to watch. If you have a dual-screen setup, copy that terminal window over to your 2nd screen and set it to full-screen. Shrink the text size with Command+- to get it to a good size. + will grow the text. And then just go use Pipulate on the localhost:5001 tab or JuptyerLab on the localhost:8888 tab. Forget about the terminal window, or watch it to learn something if you like. I don’t care.

But when you’re done and if you don’t want the terminal hanging around open just force-close it by clicking the red close-gadget in the upper-right. You will find advice against force-closing terminals. Bullshit! Just force-close the thing and the next time you want Pipulate or JupyterLab, just open a terminal and cd into ~/Botifython and nix develop.

Easy peasy.

Reinstallation and the 20-Year Vision

Yes, a bit too geeky compared to say an Electron app and stuff.

But if you bear with me, I promise I will make it worth your while!

If things go colossally wrong as they sometimes do, the magic words to do a complete reinstall are:

rm -rf ~/Botifython
curl -L https://pipulate.com/install.sh | sh -s Botifython
cd ~/Botifython
nix develop

Amazing, right?

This is the first step to future-proofing yourself in tech.

You DO NOT NEED TO BECOME A SUPER-DWEEB!

But knowing how to remove a folder, put it back with a curl command, cd into it and re-run a program is not too much to ask.

It looks like it might be right now.

But this is a 20-year into the future play, even with the rise of AI.

Take this first tiny step with me.

Book Analysis

Ai Editorial Take

This entry offers a highly practical and opinionated guide to setting up a resilient development environment crucial for navigating the Age of AI. Its blend of foundational Python concepts with advanced system-level tooling (Nix) makes it an important piece for developers aiming for long-term skill relevance. The passionate and direct tone is engaging, making complex topics feel approachable, and solidifies it as a valuable treatise on modern development philosophy.

Title Brainstorm

• Title Option: Beyond Hello World: A Future-Proof Python Environment with Nix & Pipulate
  • Filename: beyond-hello-world-future-proof-python-nix-pipulate.md
  • Rationale: Directly reflects the article’s progression from basic Python to advanced setup, highlights key technologies, and aligns with the future-proofing theme.
• Title Option: The Pipulate Blueprint: Installing Your AI-Ready Python Ecosystem with Nix
  • Filename: pipulate-blueprint-installing-ai-ready-python-nix.md
  • Rationale: Emphasizes Pipulate as the core tool and Nix as the enabler for an “AI-Ready” ecosystem, using “blueprint” as requested.
• Title Option: A Developer’s Way: Mastering Python Environments with Nix for the Age of AI
  • Filename: developers-way-mastering-python-environments-nix-age-ai.md
  • Rationale: Positions the article as a fundamental guide for developers, focusing on environmental mastery and its relevance to AI.
• Title Option: Botifython & Nix: An Important Installation Methodology for Future-Proofing Tech
  • Filename: botifython-nix-important-installation-methodology-future-proofing-tech.md
  • Rationale: Highlights the specific tools and positions the guide as an “important methodology” for future-proofing.

Content Potential And Polish

• Core Strengths:
  • Provides a clear, step-by-step installation guide for complex development tools (Nix, Pipulate).
  • Engages the reader with a strong, opinionated, and direct voice that encourages perseverance.
  • Addresses a significant challenge in modern tech: future-proofing skills against rapid churn.
  • Offers practical advice on managing development workflows, including terminal handling and reinstallation.
  • Successfully frames advanced system setup concepts as accessible and beneficial (‘magic faerie dust’).
• Suggestions For Polish:
  • Briefly expand on the ‘magic faerie dust’ concept of Nix, providing a high-level explanation of its benefits without overcomplicating.
  • Consider slightly softening some of the more assertive language, such as ‘Bullshit!’, while retaining the author’s confident tone.
  • For absolute beginners, a brief clarification on the practical distinction between display() and print() could be useful early on.
  • Introduce ‘What is Pipulate?’ with a concise explanation before diving into its installation steps, as it’s a central tool.
  • Ensure consistent and explicit language highlighting for all code blocks (e.g., bash, python).

Next Step Prompts

• Draft a follow-up article detailing the initial usage of Pipulate and JupyterLab once the installation is complete, focusing on a practical AI example.
• Create a supplementary ‘Nix for Beginners’ guide that expands on the ‘magic faerie dust’ concept without overwhelming the reader, linking to this installation guide.