Installing Python with pre-bundled packages

There are several distributions that bundle Python with popular scientific packages that are not included in the base install. This is a good way to get everything set up and running with minimal hassle, especially if you're using Windows or Mac OS X.

A popular distribution is Continuum Analytics' Anaconda. To download this, go here and then select the free version in the upper left panel. Click the "I WANT PYTHON 3.4" link to use Python 3.4 as the default Python version.

Anaconda comes with a package manager, conda, that can be used to install pre-built package, manage dependencies, set up virtual environments, and switch between Python versions.

If you would prefer not to download all the pre-bundled packages, you can download miniconda instead. This gives you conda and the base install of Python. You can then use conda to install particular packages (and their dependencies) as you need them.