Re: [Tutor] Learning books
Okay, so I have been reading some of the tutorials around the net on Python. great stuff I might add but I am getting all confused with the TCL, xwwidgets etc. I want to be able to program and I am just using the standard IDE that comes with Python. Am I on the right track? Yes, when beginning stick to the most basic tools. The wxWidgets stuff is the underbelly of wxPython but you should only need to worry about that once you get into quite deep GUI design. Similarly Tcl/Tk is the underbelly of Tkinter and again you should rarely ever see Tcl nowadays in Python, apart from a deeply nested error message from Tkinter - where you can nearly always ignore the Tcl aspects! Other languages are useful to compare with, seeing the same basic structures in different languages can emphasise that the concepts are the same, it's only syntax that changes. But only try to *learn* one lot of syntax at a time, otherwise you will get confused. with C++ but heck, I just want to learn Python for now. I do want the widgets to look nice sure. HELP! wxWidgets is written in C++, as are most native code applications etc. Unfortunately most of the documentation for wxPython still uses the C++ documents so you either have to work from the higher level Python documents or learn to read (at a superficial level) the C++ documents. To do that you really need to have covered the basics of OOP - which is one thing I like about Tkinter, you don't need OOP to use it, although OOP makes it easier... But as a beginner most of your programs should be targetted at the command line. To try to build GUIs too soon will simply distract from the fundamental proinciples of programming. And once you have a working command-line version its usually fairly easy to convert it for GUI use later, especially if you keep the display functions (ie. print statements) separate from the logic. HTH, Alan G Author of the learn to program web tutor http://www.freenetpages.co.uk/hp/alan.gauld ___ Tutor maillist - Tutor@python.org http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor
Re: [Tutor] Learning books
On 12/20/05, Richard [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Afternoon all, My son asked me what books I would like for Christmas this year. So what would you recommend? I am a beginner here. hi richard, welcome to the list. are you a beginner to Python (but have programming experience), a beginner to programming *and* Python, or other? if you are new to programming period, then congratulations for finding Python and this mailing list... you've done your homework. good books to start here include: 1) michael dawson's python programming for the absolute beginner 2) alan (gauld)'s learn to program and as a good beginner's reference: 3) chris fehily's quick start guide if you're new to programming from a computer science student's perspective, there's: 1) john zelle's python programming: intro to computer science if you're new to programming from a graphic artist/designer or multimedia point-of-view, try: 1) mark guzdial's introduction to computing and programming in python if you're already a programmer and want to pick up Python as quickly as possible: 1) SHAMELESSCore Python Programming by yours truly, however 2nd ed won't come out until Summer 2006, and i myself am having a hard time getting new copies of the 1st ed/SHAMELESS 2) mark pilgrim's dive into python 3) magnus hetland's beginning python 4) ascher and lutz learning python if you have a background in C programming good luck, and feel free to ask more specific questions about what you're looking for. cheers, - wesley - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Core Python Programming, Prentice Hall, (c)2006,2001 http://corepython.com wesley.j.chun :: wescpy-at-gmail.com cyberweb.consulting : silicon valley, ca http://cyberwebconsulting.com ___ Tutor maillist - Tutor@python.org http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor
Re: [Tutor] Learning books
First of thanks for all the great input from everyone!!! Okay, so I have been reading some of the tutorials around the net on Python. great stuff I might add but I am getting all confused with the TCL, xwwidgets etc. I want to be able to program and I am just using the standard IDE that comes with Python. Am I on the right track? Or I am better off using a different one or ??? I see that some are someting with C++ but heck, I just want to learn Python for now. I do want the widgets to look nice sure. HELP! Thanks in advance and Happy Holidays!! Richard P.S. I think I am getting one or two of the recomended books for Christmas! (cant wait!) nephish wrote: Learning Python by O'Reilly, got me started after realizing that Programming Python by O'Reilly was a tad over me head. i am new here too. On Tue, 2005-12-20 at 14:46 -0600, Richard wrote: Afternoon all, My son asked me what books I would like for Christmas this year. So what would you recommend? I am a beginner here. Thanks Richard ___ Tutor maillist - Tutor@python.org http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor ___ Tutor maillist - Tutor@python.org http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor
Re: [Tutor] Learning books
Hi Richard, I myself just about know enough python to help me in my job occasionally and to do some cool little hobby projects. When it comes to creating GUI's for my programs I always use pythoncard, see here www.pythoncard.org . It's very simple to use, and the tutorials on their site will have you up and running in no time. It's based on wxpython but you don't need to know wxpython to use it at all, unless pythoncard itself does not implement some functionality that you desire. The pythoncard mailing list is also very low volume and very helpful. As a side note, I am the senior unix admin for a uk financial corp and I know very well that learning perl would be the best 'prospective' language for me to get to grips with, but no matter what issue I come up with at work (or home) python is always, and I truly mean always, the better option. I wish you good luck with your python learning experience, and I'm sure that you will find it's also a very cool language to use. I can't help but feel that it is inevitable that it will eventually overtake perl as the scripting language of choice. I hope none of that went too far off topic :) Nick . -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Richard Sent: 23 December 2005 20:05 Cc: tutor Subject: Re: [Tutor] Learning books First of thanks for all the great input from everyone!!! Okay, so I have been reading some of the tutorials around the net on Python. great stuff I might add but I am getting all confused with the TCL, xwwidgets etc. I want to be able to program and I am just using the standard IDE that comes with Python. Am I on the right track? Or I am better off using a different one or ??? I see that some are someting with C++ but heck, I just want to learn Python for now. I do want the widgets to look nice sure. HELP! Thanks in advance and Happy Holidays!! Richard P.S. I think I am getting one or two of the recomended books for Christmas! (cant wait!) nephish wrote: Learning Python by O'Reilly, got me started after realizing that Programming Python by O'Reilly was a tad over me head. i am new here too. On Tue, 2005-12-20 at 14:46 -0600, Richard wrote: Afternoon all, My son asked me what books I would like for Christmas this year. So what would you recommend? I am a beginner here. Thanks Richard ___ Tutor maillist - Tutor@python.org http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor ___ Tutor maillist - Tutor@python.org http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.371 / Virus Database: 267.14.5/212 - Release Date: 23/12/2005 ___ Tutor maillist - Tutor@python.org http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor
Re: [Tutor] Learning books
Learning Python by O'Reilly, got me started after realizing that Programming Python by O'Reilly was a tad over me head. i am new here too. On Tue, 2005-12-20 at 14:46 -0600, Richard wrote: Afternoon all, My son asked me what books I would like for Christmas this year. So what would you recommend? I am a beginner here. Thanks Richard ___ Tutor maillist - Tutor@python.org http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor ___ Tutor maillist - Tutor@python.org http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor
Re: [Tutor] Learning books
On Tue, 20 Dec 2005, Richard wrote: Afternoon all, My son asked me what books I would like for Christmas this year. So what would you recommend? Merry Chrismas! I'm partial to George Polya's How to Solve It: http://www.math.utah.edu/~alfeld/math/polya.html It's not Python nor programming specific, but instead it's more of a general problem-solving-strategy book. I wish I had seen it earlier in life, so I'm hoping this recommendation is helpful. It's one of those books that's surprisingly applicable. I'm also very fond of The Psycology Of Computer Programming: http://www.dorsethouse.com/books/psy.html which also talks about learning. Again, not Python specific in the slightest (some of the code in there is Cobol! *grin*), but very useful and fun to read. Good luck to you! ___ Tutor maillist - Tutor@python.org http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor
Re: [Tutor] Learning books
1. Learn to Program Using Python by Alan Gauld (Stage 1) 2. Learning Python by Mark Lutz and David Ascher (Stage 2) 3. If u are serious in learning python - my sincere advise : STICK TO THIS LIST. You can never find good teachers with lots of patience and with real appetite to teach elesewhere. To name some excellent teachers here on this list: Kent, Danny, Alan (Alan gauld himself). There are many more and I do not remember their names. I thank them a lot every time I try to solve my problems. Without this list my Ph.D. would not have been possible and I learned many thing in just 5 months. So, these 3 sources are enough to help you carve a good python programmer inside you. Good luck. --- Richard [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Afternoon all, My son asked me what books I would like for Christmas this year. So what would you recommend? I am a beginner here. Thanks Richard ___ Tutor maillist - Tutor@python.org http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor __ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com ___ Tutor maillist - Tutor@python.org http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor
Re: [Tutor] Learning books
Afternoon all, My son asked me what books I would like for Christmas this year. So what would you recommend? I love these questions! :-) I am a beginner here. The question you need to answer is what do you want to get out of the book? For example you could get a book that teaches you the basics of programming, (and from this list probably doing so in Python). But after you understand it you probably won't read it again. My book, Learning Python and a few others fit in here. Alternatively you could get a reference book that will be used constantly *after* you learn but will be of limited use until then. Programming Python, Python Prog on Win32, Python in a Nutshell etc are good examples here Or you might pick a specific subject area(Web, Databases, GUI, Games) and get a book that focuses on that area. ie. A specialised tutorial and reference. Text Processing in Python, Python Tkinter Programming, etc are examples of this genre Finally you might get a more general computer science type book that applies to all programming languages. Code Complete, Programming Pearls, The Pragmatic Programmer and Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs are all examples here. Or of course you might just opt for a novel, put your feet up and relax for a few hours! :-) FWIW The books I actually use most (for Python programming) are: Python in a Nutshell Python Programming on Win32 Tcl/Tk in a Nutshell (for Tkinter/Tix stuff) Using C on the Unix System (for low level OS stuff) [This is now superceded by Unix Systems Programming for SVR4 but I prefer the older books shorter explanations!] Java in a Nutshell (for Jython) Programming Pearls HTML The Definitive Guide And for general computing: Code Complete Programming Pearls Software Engineering, A Practitioners Approach(2nd and 5th editions) OO Design Analysis(1st edition) by Grady Booch Oracle 8 the Complete Reference (for SQL/Database topics) HTH, Alan G Author of the learn to program web tutor http://www.freenetpages.co.uk/hp/alan.gauld ___ Tutor maillist - Tutor@python.org http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor
Re: [Tutor] Learning books
Richard wrote: Afternoon all, My son asked me what books I would like for Christmas this year. So what would you recommend? I have started a book list on my web site. http://personalpages.tds.net/~kent37/BookList.html Kent ___ Tutor maillist - Tutor@python.org http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor
