After a long but rewarding setup process, both my HP Laptop and Asus Desktop (running Debian) are now perfectly synced and ready for Paul Deitel’s Python Fundamentals with GenAI, 2nd Edition on O’Reilly.
1. Anaconda Installation
- Installed Anaconda (Miniforge on one machine) on both systems.
- Created a dedicated deitel conda environment with Python 3.13.
- Installed essential packages: numpy, pandas, matplotlib, seaborn, jupyterlab, etc.
2. JupyterLab Configuration
- Registered a custom “Deitel Python 3.13” kernel.
- Successfully running JupyterLab with the official Deitel course examples.
- Course materials are stored in ~/Deitel_Python/examples.
3. File Synchronization with Syncthing
- Installed Syncthing for real-time bidirectional sync between both machines.
- Set up automatic startup on boot using systemd user service.
- Added GUI authentication (username + password) with HTTPS enabled.
- The Deitel_Python folder now stays perfectly in sync across both devices.
4. Lessons Learned During Setup
- Learned Debian-specific shortcuts (Shift + Ctrl + C/V for copy/paste in terminal).
- Fixed Tilix VTE configuration issues.
- Resolved Jupyter kernel path problems.
- Handled display switching with Super + P.
- Overcame multiple small Linux quirks (mouse, function keys, etc.).
Final Result
I now have two fully synchronized Debian development machines optimized for the Deitel Python course. Any notebook I create or edit on one machine automatically appears on the other.
Tools Used:
- Anaconda/Miniforge
- JupyterLab
- Syncthing
- Debian 13 (Trixie)