[preface]
== Preface ==

This book describes different methods for installing the Coopr
software.  Coopr is a collection of Python software packages that
supports a diverse set of optimization capabilities for formulating
and analyzing optimization models.  A central component of Coopr
is Pyomo, which supports the formulation and analysis of mathematical
models for complex optimization applications.  This capability is
commonly associated with algebraic modeling languages (AMLs), which
support the description and analysis of mathematical models with a
high-level language.  Although most AMLs are implemented in custom
modeling languages, Pyomo's modeling objects are embedded within
Python, a full-featured high-level programming language that contains
a rich set of supporting libraries.

=== Goals of the Book ===

Unfortunately, Coopr is a complex software package that can be
difficult to install.  Coopr is comprised of a set of independent
Python packages that need to be installed together.  Coopr also
depends on a variety of third-party Python packages, some of which
have very different installation processes on different computer
operating systems.  Finally, Coopr can execute third-party optimization
solvers, whose installation and configuration is completely independent
of Coopr.

In this book, we outline a variety of installation options for
different computer operating systems and for different usage models.
These installation options reflect the different ways that Coopr
developers and users have used Coopr, and they account for user
access to system resources.


=== Comments and Questions ===

Further information about Pyomo and Coopr is available on the Coopr wiki:

    https://software.sandia.gov/trac/coopr

Coopr is also hosted at COIN-OR:

    https://projects.coin-or.org/Coopr

We strongly encourage feedback from readers about the software on the Coopr Forum:

    coopr-forum@googlegroups.com

We hope this will include feedback on typos and errors in our examples in this book.  

Good Luck!

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