best way to learn
ed
in other very
high level languages, mainly php.
I was wondering what is the best way to become
proficient in python
quickly?
I'm actually a pretty decent php programmer, so I
don't think I need
something that spends too much time on the basics(ie
loops and if
statements).
I just need to know how things work in python.
I've tried the main tutorial that comes with the
distro, and to be
honest I was kind of disappointed. It don't seem to
have the linear
quality and cohesiveness that a good tutorial should.
Hope I don't make anyone mad by saying that.
Should I get a book, if so which one?
"Learning python", "programming python", "python
cookbook"?
Or can I get pretty much everything I need on the web,
like a lot of
good tutorials and some good language references?
If I get a book I'd like to get one that works as a
newbie tutorial
but by the end of the book deals with some advanced
topics and will
also work somewhat well as a reference. Is that
asking too much?
Should I trust the reviews at amazon.com? :)
Any guidance appreciated.
tia,
--ed
ed
in other very
high level languages, mainly php.
I was wondering what is the best way to become
proficient in python
quickly?
I'm actually a pretty decent php programmer, so I
don't think I need
something that spends too much time on the basics(ie
loops and if
statements).
I just need to know how things work in python.
I did do the tutorial that comes with the distro, but
I need more than that.
Should I get a book, if so which one?
"Learning python", "programming python", "python
cookbook"?
Or can I get pretty much everything I need on the web,
like a lot of
good tutorials and some good language references?
If I get a book I'd like to get one that works as a
newbie tutorial
but by the end of the book deals with some advanced
topics and will
also work somewhat well as a reference. Is that
asking too much?
Should I trust the reviews at amazon.com? :)
Any guidance appreciated.
tia,
--ed
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Geoff Howland
>Hey all. I'm a python newbie, but I have experience
>in other very high level languages, mainly php.
>I was wondering what is the best way to become
>proficient in python quickly?
I would say this is similar for all languages. You should pick a
project that interests you, but is not so complex you cant just start
working on it, and that will drag you along having to learn the
language.
>Should I get a book, if so which one?
>"Learning python", "programming python", "python
>cookbook"?
>Or can I get pretty much everything I need on the web,
>like a lot of good tutorials and some good language references?
I found the python tutorial pages on the python.org site, and the
modules to answer a lot of my inital questions. So they are a good
part of it.
I also bought 'Core Python Programming' by Wesley J. Chun (Prentice
Hall) and it's been very useful. I use its tables on dict/string/list
functions enough I should probably photocopy them, or get a memory.
:)
>If I get a book I'd like to get one that works as a
>newbie tutorial but by the end of the book deals with some advanced
>topics and will also work somewhat well as a reference. Is that
>asking too much?
Might be, others may have advice on books that actually do this. I
haven't found many that actually seem to work at the right pace for
the amount of material they have to cover in a coherent manner.
That's why I suggest the 'pick a project' method. Once you've done
one, refactor it and/or do another and keep going.
Making things work in a non-trivial project will cause you to hit your
toe against quite a few walls until you find your light switch. Then
new programs explore new territory...
-Geoff Howland
http://ludumdare.com/
Richard Bow
news:k2m9ruobevq2duf9k...@4ax.com:
> That's why I suggest the 'pick a project' method. Once you've done
> one, refactor it and/or do another and keep going.
Please explain what is meant by "refactor".
Thanks,
Richard Bow
maxm
> Please explain what is meant by "refactor".
It means to clean up a codebase. Rewrite it until it follows best
practice. Rewrite until it is beatiful, efficient and correct.
You should do it without changing functionality.
And a few links found on the amazing Google:
http://emw.inf.tu-dresden.de/de/pdai/Forschung/refactoring/refactoring_html/node26.html
http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refactor
http://ootips.org/refactoring.html
http://www.exciton.cs.rice.edu/comp410/books/refactoring.html
regards Max M
Richard Bow
> Richard Bow wrote:
>
> > Please explain what is meant by "refactor".
>
> It means to clean up a codebase. Rewrite it until it follows best
> practice. Rewrite until it is beatiful, efficient and correct.
>
> You should do it without changing functionality.
>
> And a few links found on the amazing Google:
>
> http://emw.inf.tu-dresden.de/de/pdai/Forschung/refactoring/refactoring_h
> tml/node26.html http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refactor
> http://ootips.org/refactoring.html
> http://www.exciton.cs.rice.edu/comp410/books/refactoring.html
Thanks very much for your short explanation, and the informative links.
Richard Bow
Dave Richards
wanted to write a few gui programs, and PHP is crap for that. I bought
Programming Python and it's great.
It takes you on a quick tour through Python and the main modules - os and
sys - with useful code all the way. But within 100 pages you're doing
threads, signals and IPC - things you never use in PHP. It covers gui
programming - but alas only with Tk which mings on Linux - cgi, writing
extensions etc. etc. It also gives you a good look at OO. I don't know if
you use classes much in PHP, but they're much more important in Python.
Brilliant book. It's not such a wonderful reference - the Python docs are
- but is has great examples.
Dave
Erik Max Francis
> Brilliant book. It's not such a wonderful reference - the Python docs
> are
> - but is has great examples.
I'm surprised someone's recommending this book. Are you referring to
the second edition?
--
Erik Max Francis / m...@alcyone.com / http://www.alcyone.com/max/
__ San Jose, CA, USA / 37 20 N 121 53 W / &tSftDotIotE
/ \ It is much safer to obey than to rule.
\__/ Thomas a Kempis
EmPy / http://www.alcyone.com/pyos/empy/
A system for embedding arbitrary Python in template text as markup.
demian neidetcher
Will Stuyvesant
> > [Dave Richards]
> > are - but is has great examples.
>
> I'm surprised someone's recommending this book. Are you referring to
> the second edition?
I think the Programming Python book, 2nd edition, is very good! It
has example scripts for portably launching apps, and Tkinter examples,
and many others I reuse often. We need a 3rd edition that tells us
about the new modules and iterator and generators etc!
'''
In political discussion heat is in inverse proportion to knowledge.
-- J.G.C. Minchin
'''
Erik Max Francis
> I think the Programming Python book, 2nd edition, is very good! It
> has example scripts for portably launching apps, and Tkinter examples,
> and many others I reuse often. We need a 3rd edition that tells us
> about the new modules and iterator and generators etc!
Have you read the first edition for comparison? I read the first
edition -- in fact it was my first introduction to Python -- and was not
impressed. Even as an experienced programmer in other languages, I
found it disorganized and slightly frustrating -- especially given how
simple a language like Python is, it actually got in the way of
learning.
I've only read the first edition; I've heard ancedotally that the second
edition is better but haven't read it. Anyone who has read both willing
to given an overview of the differences?
--
Erik Max Francis / m...@alcyone.com / http://www.alcyone.com/max/
__ San Jose, CA, USA / 37 20 N 121 53 W / &tSftDotIotE
/ \ All the gods are dead except the god of war.
\__/ Leroy Eldridge Cleaver
Official Omega page / http://www.alcyone.com/max/projects/omega/
The official distribution page for the popular Roguelike, Omega.