looking for a book on python

[Randy Foiles]

Hello and thank you for taking your time to read this.
I was interested in learning about python. In the long ago past I did
learn some programing but I have not used any of it for years. I do
remember some basics however so the book does not have to be for a total
beginner. (C, C++, BASIC, Visual BASIC, Pascal and some ADA)
I have been using Linux for a while and overall still don't know much
about it but I can find my way. I have my system dual boot with windows
vista.
I do realize that everyone is different but I would like to see some
suggestions and maybe reasons why you think it is good. I have looked
for/searched and found a few different books but as my means are a bit
limited right now I don't really want to buy several just one or maybe
two books.
Oh and if someone knows a place to find some used books of this sort
that would be great (ebay I guess
Thanks for your thoughts
Randy theslayers9 gmail

 

[Aahz]

I do realize that everyone is different but I would like to see some
suggestions and maybe reasons why you think it is good. I have looked
for/searched and found a few different books but as my means are a bit
limited right now I don't really want to buy several just one or maybe
two books.

You could get the book I co-wrote (Python for Dummies), but honestly, I
think you should try using some of the online tutorials first. The
standard Python tutorial is aimed at people with some programing
experience:

http://docs.python.org/tutorial/index.html

 

[laplacian42]

Hello and thank you for taking your time to read this.
        I was interested in learning about python.  In the long ago past I did
learn some programing but I have not used any of it for years.  I do
remember some basics however so the book does not have to be for a total
beginner.  (C, C++, BASIC, Visual BASIC, Pascal and some ADA)
        I have been using Linux for a while and overall still don't know much
about it but I can find my way.  I have my system dual boot with windows
vista.
        I do realize that everyone is different but I would like to see some
suggestions and maybe reasons why you think it is good.  I have looked
for/searched and found a few different books but as my means are a bit
limited right now I don't really want to buy several just one or maybe
two books.
        Oh and if someone knows a place to find some used books of this sort
that would be great (ebay I guess
Thanks for your thoughts
Randy theslayers9   gmail

The Oreilly "Python in a Nutshell" (2006, 2nd ed.) book is very good
and will get you up to speed in short order.

 

[OdarR]

Hello and thank you for taking your time to read this.
        I was interested in learning about python.  In the long ago past I did
learn some programing but I have not used any of it for years.  I do
remember some basics however so the book does not have to be for a total
beginner.  (C, C++, BASIC, Visual BASIC, Pascal and some ADA)
        I have been using Linux for a while and overall still don't know much
about it but I can find my way.  I have my system dual boot with windows
vista.
        I do realize that everyone is different but I would like to see some
suggestions and maybe reasons why you think it is good.  I have looked
for/searched and found a few different books but as my means are a bit
limited right now I don't really want to buy several just one or maybe
two books.
        Oh and if someone knows a place to find some used books of this sort
that would be great (ebay I guess
Thanks for your thoughts
Randy theslayers9   gmail

"Learning Python"
http://oreilly.com/catalog/9780596513986/

new issue soon, covering 2.6 and 3
http://oreilly.com/catalog/9780596158064/?CMP=AFC-ak_book&ATT=Learning+Python,+Fourth+Edition,

the best book I read concerning Py understanding, well written.

I would start with web content, then later would buy the fourth
edition of "Learning Python".

enjoy,
Olivier

 

[Kee Nethery]

I'm a newbie and I need examples and I find that Python for Dummies is
my best paper source for examples.

Kee Nethery

 

[Aahz]

I'm a newbie and I need examples and I find that Python for Dummies is
my best paper source for examples.

Thank you! That's one thing we worked hard on.

 

[Randy Foiles]

"Learning Python"
http://oreilly.com/catalog/9780596513986/

new issue soon, covering 2.6 and 3
http://oreilly.com/catalog/9780596158064/?CMP=AFC-ak_book&ATT=Learning+Python,+Fourth+Edition,

the best book I read concerning Py understanding, well written.

I would start with web content, then later would buy the fourth
edition of "Learning Python".

enjoy,
Olivier

Thank you.
I was thinking of that book and a few others. I am not sure at this
point what the difference is in 2.6 and 3?
Randy

 

[Randy Foiles]

You could get the book I co-wrote (Python for Dummies), but honestly, I
think you should try using some of the online tutorials first. The
standard Python tutorial is aimed at people with some programing
experience:

http://docs.python.org/tutorial/index.html

I had not thought about the "dummies" books for this I will look and see
if my local B&N has it.

 

[Randy Foiles]

The Oreilly "Python in a Nutshell" (2006, 2nd ed.) book is very good
and will get you up to speed in short order.

This is one of the books I see around and it does seem that O'Reilly is
where most people go for them
What is it that you like about this one?

 

[Aahz]

I was thinking of that book and a few others. I am not sure at this
point what the difference is in 2.6 and 3?

There are lots of differences between 2.6 and the just-released 3.1, but
opinions are split about which is better for learning: some people say
that you should learn 3.x first because it's the future of Python and
it's simpler/cleaner; others (including me) say you should learn 2.x
first because that's where the bulk of current code is and many 3rd-party
libraries have not yet been ported to 3.x.

In the end, it doesn't make a lot of difference, as long as you stick
with only 2.x or 3.x during your initial learning: the core Python
syntax changes very little between the 2.x and 3.x, and there are only
two critical differences that will hit you up-front:

* Python 2.x has ``print`` as a statement; 3.x has ``print()`` as a
function

* Python 2.x has 8-bit strings by default; 3.x uses Unicode and has no
way to access 8-bit strings except as byte arrays

You might want to bookmark this, though:
http://docs.python.org/3.1/whatsnew/index.html