Like me, if you are new to Python and want to quickly ramp-up to become no non-sense developer in Python, you might want to read this post, these posts that are related to this book and probably all of these posts to become Python Super Star.The best book to start (even if you are already exposed to some level of programming) is "Python Crash Course by Eric Matthes. The book consists of two parts. Part one is basics with 11 chapters and Part two consists of nine chapters with three projects. The main intention of this book is to get us up to speed in Python quickly (as you might have guessed it from the title).
The rest of the post gives an overview of what I learned in Chapters 1, 2 and 3 and what was interesting/boring. I ensure to keep it crisp so that you spend more time on learning rather than reading my stories.
Chapter 1: Getting Started
While many of us fumble when it comes to doing things for the first time, this chapter takes the installation of Python and running the first program to the extreme. All the folks who have exposure to programming to a decent degree will find it very boring (detailed steps in Windows, Mac, and Linux deserve their space in the appendix but not first chapter). What I would expect is some history of Python, principles of Python, Why Python is so popular, Where Python is used and what is the future of Python. My view is that you should download and install Python on your own and probably try run your first program (it is fine if you spend additional 15 mins to muck around and figure it on your own - believe me, it is easy). This chapter is a dull start.
Chapter 2: Variables and Simple Data Types
This chapter covers quite a lot of ground if you not exposed to programming at all. If you are experienced programmer, you will skim this chapter through but yet feel accomplished if you do all the exercises. This chapter talks about Variables, naming variables, data types - string, integers and float with some important operations on those datatypes in Python. The concluding sections of this chapter deal with importance of writing comments and The Zen of Python which in my view placed right at chapter 2. This chapter should take 30 minutes to an hour depending on whether you are a programmer or aren't. Python seems to be exciting
While many of us fumble when it comes to doing things for the first time, this chapter takes the installation of Python and running the first program to the extreme. All the folks who have exposure to programming to a decent degree will find it very boring (detailed steps in Windows, Mac, and Linux deserve their space in the appendix but not first chapter). What I would expect is some history of Python, principles of Python, Why Python is so popular, Where Python is used and what is the future of Python. My view is that you should download and install Python on your own and probably try run your first program (it is fine if you spend additional 15 mins to muck around and figure it on your own - believe me, it is easy). This chapter is a dull start.
Chapter 2: Variables and Simple Data Types
This chapter covers quite a lot of ground if you not exposed to programming at all. If you are experienced programmer, you will skim this chapter through but yet feel accomplished if you do all the exercises. This chapter talks about Variables, naming variables, data types - string, integers and float with some important operations on those datatypes in Python. The concluding sections of this chapter deal with importance of writing comments and The Zen of Python which in my view placed right at chapter 2. This chapter should take 30 minutes to an hour depending on whether you are a programmer or aren't. Python seems to be exciting
Chapter 3: Introducing Lists
This chapter covers an important aspect of Python - that is Lists. After reading this chapter and working out the examples/exercises one should get a fair handle on lists. Like me, if you are from C world you will find it to have some similarity with arrays but then it differs in varieties of ways. You will start feeling the uniqueness and flexibility of Python when you try out examples. This chapter should take around one hour to read and workout examples (since you are no longer new to Python). By now, you can expect yourself to start becoming comfortable with Python. This chapter was a treat for a newbie. Enjoyed it.
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2 comments:
Hello Lakshmi,
Nice to see you posting after a long long while. Feel like the good ol' CODC days again.
The way you have written this post, it makes me want to go out and buy the book. +1 for posting the nostarch link to buy book with discount code.
While I haven't read the book, the reason the author could have given detailed installation instructions is - Python is one of the languages that's easiest to learn and fun to code but the revenge is in the nitty-gritty of installation. Take for e.g python on mac. Everyone says to go for Python 3 but mac comes inbuilt with 2.7.5. Now the catch is - one shouldn't install 3 on top of 2 since that would make a lot of mac libraries that aren't yet 3.x compatible stop working. So, you have virtualenv and wrapper. Even in 2.7.5 - there are so many different ways to install that it's overwhelming. Install using home-brew? Or install using pip? or using easy-install? Or install pip using easy-install and then install python using pip. Phew!
But you do have a wonderful point when you say had the author provided insights on why python is so popular and it's future, it would have been great.
@Sandy - Yes makes sense to boot-up someone but it was really really boring covering installation of python in three different OSes and a Text/Code editor again in three OSes.
But your point is valid too.
Thanks for stopping by and giving great feedback
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