On Thu, 24 Mar 2005 00:30:22 +0000, John Carmona <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hi to everyone first, this is my first posting and I hope that I won't make > a mess. > > I am 100% newbie (and when I mean newbie it is with a big N). > > I decided to have a go at programming and after reading different articles I > decided to have a go at Python (first because it is free, secondly because > apparently it is easier than other languages). The reason for me to try to > learn programming is that I have been involved with computer (graphic > operator) but I have decided to modify my profesionnal path (risk of future > redundancy) and want to equip myself better. > > I have started by reading the excellent "Non-ProgrammersTutorial For Python" > by Josh Cogliati. I like it a lot. My first problem is as I don't have any > experience in programming I sometimes get a bit lost in the explanation > (i.e. I am just learning about Defining Functions. It fascinates me, but it > is taking me a long to get around it. > > My first question is do i need to really understand everything first time I > come across or does it get easier if you kind of move along and get back to > it later?
No. I find it's good to have an familarity with the basic concepts, and then when you hit a particular problem, try certain approaches you've heard about. BTW I heartily recommend Alan Gauld's tutorial - http://www.freenetpages.co.uk/hp/alan.gauld/ I used that and IDLE to learn. > Second question: As i am not, unfortunately, involved professionaly in the > field of programming is there a specific technique to learn other than just > read everything I put my hand on? Try stuff out. Use IDLE, or any other Python interactive interpreter to try stuff as you go. > Third question: Does anybody know if it is possible to get involved in this > field in a non-lucrative kind of way in order to learn faster and of course > to apply this science in a real world. I would say find a project that appeals to you. The first ever Python code I wrote was a programme to calculate the best crop to plant for Harvest Moon, a very old SNES farming game! Since then I've written a programme that downloads certain email attachments from an IMAP server, parses them and generates a CSV file with the results, and I'm currently working on a small database for my own use. During each of these, I've learnt as I've gone, and as I've faced new problems, I've tried new approaches. And, I've usually been pointed in the right direction by people on this list. It's actually quite funny I was looking over my email programme code, and I could exactly identify precisely the point where I figured out how to use dictionaries instead of lists. > I apologise for my English as it is not my first language and thank in > advance anybody that will help me with my queries. > Your English is a lot better than my anything else. Regards, Liam Clarke -- 'There is only one basic human right, and that is to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, to take the consequences. _______________________________________________ Tutor maillist - Tutor@python.org http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor
