1a. Introduction

• Computers, Physics, and Computational Physics
  • why compute?
    • complex physics
    • nonlinear physics
    • high dimensionality
    • complex geometry
    • large problems
  • examples
  • demonstration: the driven nonlinear pendulum

• Linux, X, and the local network

• UNIX basics

  • logging in
  • the window system
  • web browsing: firefox
  • network access
    • local private network
    • gateway: newton.physics.drexel.edu
    • network topology
    • access from outside: encryption required: ssh and scp