Comments on: Project Euler http://www.johnramey.net/2008/08/24/project-euler/ Don't think...compute. Sun, 04 Apr 2010 23:29:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Ben http://www.johnramey.net/2008/08/24/project-euler/comment-page-1/#comment-4503 Ben Fri, 06 Mar 2009 22:58:57 +0000 http://www.johnramey.net/?p=41#comment-4503 If you're still keen on learning Python, I would recommend that you learn using a tool like IDLE (available from the official Python site). It's like a command-line style interpreter that will run code as you enter it, which makes it great for single-stepping through to make sure you are doing what you think you are doing. Also, I would recommend any book in the Pragmatic Programmer series (www.pragprog.com). While they don't have a specific Python book, they do have "Practical Programming: An Introduction to Computer Science Using Python" and "Data Crunching: Solve Everyday Problems using Java, Python, and More". Since they are available in print and as e-books, maybe you can access the e-book versions through one of Baylor's library subscriptions. The book "Programming Python" should be available through Baylor's subscription to O'Reilly's Safari Books service, which should give a good overview of the basic language. To really get to know what you can do with Python, try something like the "Python Cookbook" (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0596001673) since the best way to learn is by example. Of course, all this comes from someone who has this ---->||<---- much experience in Python. Python and Ruby are similar level languages and the Ruby equivalent of these taught me enough to do grad level projects in Ruby in only about 2 weeks, so hopefully you will see similar results :) If you’re still keen on learning Python, I would recommend that you learn using a tool like IDLE (available from the official Python site). It’s like a command-line style interpreter that will run code as you enter it, which makes it great for single-stepping through to make sure you are doing what you think you are doing.

Also, I would recommend any book in the Pragmatic Programmer series (www.pragprog.com). While they don’t have a specific Python book, they do have “Practical Programming: An Introduction to Computer Science Using Python” and “Data Crunching: Solve Everyday Problems using Java, Python, and More”. Since they are available in print and as e-books, maybe you can access the e-book versions through one of Baylor’s library subscriptions. The book “Programming Python” should be available through Baylor’s subscription to O’Reilly’s Safari Books service, which should give a good overview of the basic language. To really get to know what you can do with Python, try something like the “Python Cookbook” (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0596001673) since the best way to learn is by example.

Of course, all this comes from someone who has this —->||<—- much experience in Python. Python and Ruby are similar level languages and the Ruby equivalent of these taught me enough to do grad level projects in Ruby in only about 2 weeks, so hopefully you will see similar results :)

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