COG 376  "In class"  lab


Today we are going to explore ways for you to use the Natural Language Toolkit


METHOD ONE: USING THE SOFTWARE LOADED ON THE COMPUTER DEPARTMENT SERVERS

To use this method, you need a way to be able to log onto the servers. There are two ways of
doing this:

1) Go to an open terminal in Shineman 446.
    
     A) Log onto a machine using your Laker Net user name and password.
    
     B) Open a terminal session.

     C) At the terminal prompt, type:

       ssh pi.cs.oswego.edu

      And use your password to log onto the "pi" serv

    D) Then go to the section below marked "Today's Lab"

     E) BE SURE TO LOG OFF WHEN YOU ARE FINISHED!!!


2) If you are using your own computer, you can use the "Putty" program.

    A) Check (under the "programs" link if you are using Windows) to see if you have Putty already installed on your computer.

    B) If not, you can go to:
     
     http://www.putty.org/

     and you can download a copy of the Putty program onto your computer.

     Note: If you are a MAC user, read the comments regarding MACs.

     C) Start the putty program. A dialogue box should appear. In the slot marked "Host Name(or IP Address)" type:

     pi.cs.oswego.edu

     D) Log onto the server using your user name and password.

     E) Follow the directions for using the programs given to you in the text.

     F) BE SURE TO LOG OFF WHEN YOU ARE FINISHED!!


     NOTE: YOU CAN USE PUTTY FROM ANY COMPUTER IN A UNIVERSITY COMPUTER LAB.


METHOD TWO: YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE NATURAL LANGUAGE TOOLKIT ON YOUR OWN MACHINE

Go to

http://www.nltk.org/install.html

 You should be using either Windows or MAC OS. Make sure that you download the appropriate software on
 your machine.

 Follow the instructions for downloading the software for the Natural Language Toolkit.



TODAY'S LAB:


Go to http://www.nltk.org/book/

Do the following sections:

A) Getting started with Python

B) Getting started with NLTK

IMPORTANT: when you start with the NLTK, skip the nltk.download() step in the text instructions- just enter the import statment.

See below:

>>> import nltk
>>> nltk.download() --- SKIP THIS!!!

Then go to the next section of the textbook and enter this instruction:

from nltk.book import *

NOTE: IF YOU ARE RUNNING THE NLTK ON YOUR OWN MACHINE, YOU MIGHT NEED TO DOWNLOAD SOME ADDITIONAL FILES THAT ARE TEXT CORPORA.

C) Try using the concordance function (found in the section, "Searching Text").

D) Try using the length function (found in the section, "Counting Vocabulary").