Python Newbie Suggestions

[garcigal]

I'm a mechanical engineer with little experience programming. I've
used C++ and machine language for getting micro-controllers to work
and thats about it. I work allot with software developers at my job
and can read C++ code pretty good (ie. I understand whats going on).
Does anyone have any good tips or resources for someone interested in
learning PYTHON. This is purely for hobby purposes and I'd like to
expose my kids to a programing language too. If any one has any
helpful books, tips or suggestions please let me know. I have
Windows, MAC and Linux box's at my house but I'm a primarily a MAC
user.

 

[Steven Howe]

I'm a mechanical engineer with little experience programming. I've
used C++ and machine language for getting micro-controllers to work
and thats about it. I work allot with software developers at my job
and can read C++ code pretty good (ie. I understand whats going on).
Does anyone have any good tips or resources for someone interested in
learning PYTHON. This is purely for hobby purposes and I'd like to
expose my kids to a programing language too. If any one has any
helpful books, tips or suggestions please let me know. I have
Windows, MAC and Linux box's at my house but I'm a primarily a MAC
user.

I found "Learning Python" O'Reilly pretty good. It's pretty dogeared
now. It's
ISBN number is:1-56592-464-9. That's edition 1from the last century.

sph

 

[7stud]

Not "Learning Python: From Novice to Professional". I've looked at
"Learning Python 2nd Ed." to use as a reference for all the blunders
in the first book I mentioned, and it's a lot better--plus it has
exercises at the end of each chapter.

 

[Brian]

What about "Learning With Python"? It was written by a high school
teacher for teaching python in the classroom for absolute beginners.
Best of all, it's FREE:

http://www.greenteapress.com/

Byron

 

[Stephen Lewitowski]

I'm a mechanical engineer with little experience programming. I've
used C++ and machine language for getting micro-controllers to work
and thats about it. I work allot with software developers at my job
and can read C++ code pretty good (ie. I understand whats going on).
Does anyone have any good tips or resources for someone interested in
learning PYTHON. This is purely for hobby purposes and I'd like to
expose my kids to a programing language too. If any one has any
helpful books, tips or suggestions please let me know. I have
Windows, MAC and Linux box's at my house but I'm a primarily a MAC
user.

I was once a newbie too. I started with the Python Tutorial which is on
the Python Website and found it to be a good starting point.

http://docs.python.org/tut/tut.html

Have a go with this and see how you get on.

There are lots of resources at http://www.python.org, including
distributions of the latest version of the python interpreter, which you
should install (if you have not already) before attempting the tutorials.

 

[Michael Tobis]

I think

http://www.diveintopython.org/

would be very suitable for you.

mt

 

[Stephen Lewitowski]

I think

http://www.diveintopython.org/

would be very suitable for you.

mt

I disagree here. The site was last updated in 2004; its out of date. For
a newbie any material referenced should be current and include what is
available in Python 2.5.

 

[Gabriel Genellina]

En Thu, 17 May 2007 22:21:05 -0300, Stephen Lewitowski

I disagree here. The site was last updated in 2004; its out of date. For
a newbie any material referenced should be current and include what is
available in Python 2.5.

From the site headings: "Dive Into Python is a Python book for experienced
programmers."
The style is very clear and comprehensible - even for *non* programmers.
The book is up-to-date to Python 2.3, describing generators by example,
that were added on that release.
After reading it, anyone should be able to grasp the newer features by
himself.