1. Pre-requisites

You will need:

• 💻 A laptop/PC running Windows, macOS or Linux. Full admin permissions are ideal. If you don't have admin permissions, try running the following instructions anyway as it may not be an issue. If you do run into problems, don't worry, we'll get you up & running!
• 📶 Reliable internet access. Consider getting an ethernet cable, this can improve your download speed by 2-5x!
• 🎟️ A conference ticket may be required depending on which of our workshops you're attending. If finance is a problem, please ask, we may be able to help you out.
• 😄 Lots of patience, smiles and curiosity to learn. Learning Python can be great fun and very rewarding, but like any skill it takes time & regular practice before you can stop reaching for StackOverflow every 30 seconds.

2. Install Python

2.1: Anaconda

This is our recommended option, especially for beginners. If you have a new laptop, this should "just work". (Famous last words.)

💡 Licensing note: We will be installing the Anaconda Individual Edition. This is free to download and a great way to get started with Python for learning and personal projects. You are fine to download and install Anaconda onto a personal machine, for personal use, this is allowed and encouraged by the Anaconda license. Please note that you cannot install Anaconda onto a company laptop if your company has more than 200 employees, unless your company has purchased a Commercial License. Please see this FAQ for more information on Anaconda licensing.

Firstly, please check if you already have installed Anaconda. If you're not sure, check this link or search your computer for "Anaconda Navigator". If you installed it recently, you may be good to skip this section. If you can't remember installing it, or it was several years ago, you may be better off uninstalling Anaconda and then re-installing the latest version.

2.1.1: Installing Anaconda on Windows

1. First, find out if you're using a 64 bit or a 32 bit operating system. Right-click the Windows logo in the bottom left of the screen and click “System”. You should see something like 64-bit operating system, x64-based processor somewhere on this page.
2. Head to https://www.anaconda.com/products/individual and click Download. Choose the Windows Graphical Installer that matches your operating system. If in doubt, try the 64-bit Graphical Installer.
3. The install file is over 400MB, so it may take some time to download. When it finishes downloading, run the installation script:
   1. Read & agree to the license
   2. Click Just Me when asked
   3. Choose the default install location, unless you don't have admin permissions on your machine. In this situation, ensure you are installing it somewhere inside your C:\\Users\\ folder.
   4. Do not add Anaconda to your PATH.
   5. Do register Anaconda as your default Python, unless you know what you're doing or you know that your company has already installed another version of Python onto your computer.
   6. Once you click "Install", it will take anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes to complete the installation.
   7. Pop the kettle on, make a brew, follow @HumbleData on Twitter / Facebook / Instagram, take a selfie and share with the world your excitement to be starting out on your own coding journey. There's some good content on Reddit's /learnpython/ if you'd like further inspiration on what lies ahead.