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BOOK REVIEWS
PYTHON.ORG BOOKSTORE WEBSITE
Very well written. It is the clearest, friendliest book I have come across yet for explaining Python, and putting it in a wider context. It does not presume a large amount of other experience. It may be too slow for more advanced people, but it does go into some important Python topics carefully and in depth. Unlike too many beginner books, it never condescends or tortures the reader with childish hide-and-seek prose games. Not too many in-depth realworld examples in the book [hopefully he will do a followup volume], it sticks to gaining a solid grasp of Python syntax and structure.AMAZON
***** A wealth of information for newbie and advanced Python programmers, January 27, 2008
Reviewer: L. Cullen (Chicago, Illinois USA)
I'm relatively new to Python, having programmed in 'C' and Pascal for many years, and have found this book to be a very good first book to read. As a programmer relatively new to Python I've found that it provides me with very good coverage of the language and its most popular modules. It is not a reference book like "Python In A Nutshell", which I would also recommend. It won't be sufficient if you plan on writing complex GUI applications using wxPython, but there's another good book available for that. Thanks to this book and a couple of others I've been able to produce several useful Python applications. If you're a programmer new to Python, I would recommend this book as one of the first you read.
** This will be discussed in the next chapter...
Recall from section, January 14, 2008
Reviewer: RF RDC
This book has small snippets of insight, unfortunately they are scattered across over 1000 pages. The book seems to take a general format of: 1) "Here is an idea or concept - not sure why I introduced it now;" 2) "The concept just seems to have a logical grouping with these other concepts;" 3) "But we will not go into the concept or the other concepts now;" 5) "We will save them for another section that will then refer you back to this section as a reference for those concepts;" 6) "By the way, did you know that C, C++, Java, Java Script have this vague similarity of implementation but use this code" 7) "Don't bother that this aside has no value for understanding python (if you are literate in other languages, you will get the similarities and differences - if you are not, then why bother introducing irrelevant material)."
In essence, the book seems to say - I have 1000+ pages to write in, therefore organization and relevancy are secondary to filling them up. Also, there tends to be numerous mistakes in the prose as well as in the code. A trip to the book's website shows that, apparently, it took the author three tries (plus a .diff file) to get the MakeTextFile script correct. There are better books out there (along with the python online documentation).
****
Knowledge & Common Sense, December 31, 2007
Reviewer: L.R. Young
Fellow Programmers,
I am new to Python and found this book to be a comprehensive source of information. I started off with Java a few years ago in my spare time, however; Core Python is an excellent book for an understanding concepts in OOP for both languages. I thoroughly enjoy the book and the Python Language itself. My only criticism is that most of the programs are short, but from cover to cover; the reader will walk away with a rock solid foundation in python programming.
***** Great introductory book to Python, December 28, 2007
Reviewer: G. Salazar (Orlando, FL USA)
Sure, the book is huge ( over 1000 pages ) but it is a rather easy
reading (then again I already knew a few other programming languages)
and it covers the kind of details about the language the I enjoy
learning about...origin of things, history/evolution, why something is
done the way it is (performance issues), code snippets here and then a
break down of such code in plain English; at the end of a chapter a
table with a summary of the statements/functions/methods covered,
etc., etc. etc.
Really a great book, I highly recommend it.
***** Great Writing Style, good for Python Beginners, October 21, 2007
Reviewer: Timothy T. Wee "stark" (Chicago, IL USA)
This book is very well-written and readable. It covers a comprehensive list of Python topics, including the newer Python features like decorators, generators, and some of the resource acquisition stuff. (the with statement)
Don't be afraid of the 1000+ pages, the pages fly by because the writing is not dense. It also talks about "Pythonic" ways of doing things, and which functions you should call and which you shouldn't use. (because of being depracated, or being less efficient)
My favorite chapter is the one on functions, it talks a little bit about how to do functional programming with Python and the tools that are available for it.
Overall, definitely worth the money, and I think it's one of the best intros to a programming language book that I have come across, and shows all the cool and unique constructs and things that you can do in Python without overwhelming newcomers to the language.
*** Not for experienced programmers, September 9, 2007
Reviewer: IBMT
This may be a good book for beginners. For experienced programmers who just want to know what's new and unique of Python, it's hard to find what you need fast. I found Dive into Python is better for me.
**** Good Python Resource, September 4, 2007
Reviewer: Billy 6 Moons (New York, NY USA)
I read the first half of the book along with Python's online documentation and I was able to connect to a database, read & write files, display a web page and a few other things. I don't think I'll start using Python in lieu of Perl but, that's another discussion. It's easy to read; has a good typeface & layout. It's a good intro to Python and may make a reasonable reference.
***** Great book, May 18, 2007
Reviewer: C. Unsal (Mountain View, CA USA)
Looks like it's long and hard to read, but the material is actually very easy to read/follow. Good topic coverage in 2nd edition.
One of the best python books... Make sure you complete at least some of the exercises at the end of each chapter. If you are looking for complex examples, try 'cookbooks' or similar.
If you need hand holding while reading the book or learning python, take Wesley's course [...]
***** Great Place to Start, May 14, 2007
Reviewer: R. Chae
Good Book filled with excellent examples. Much better and an easier read than the O'Reilly Python books.
**** Excellent overall book, January 9, 2007
Reviewer: Raghavan Srinivasan
This was my first Python book and I was learning Python for the first
time after spending years in Java. I must say this was a great book
for someone trying to correlate concepts with another programming
language. It bring out the powerful concepts on Python very well
especially the string/list functionality. I also liked its treatment
of Object Oriented Functionality as well as the description of
Python's functional features. The language is lucid and the author
gets straight down to an example without beating around the bush.
I am giving it 4 stars only because I didn't find its treatment of
Regular Expressions as extensive as I hoped and I had to refer to
other books/online to get more examples.
*** Decent but you can do better, July 28, 2005
Reviewer: Mark Mascolino (Cincinnati, OH, USA)
The text covers a wide range of topics but doesn't dive very deep. The font in the book is pretty large and there is copious amounts of whitespace that is wasted. It would be a decent read through for a beginner-to-immediate person but you will need to do much more to round out your Python knowledge.
***** Easy read to get you up and running, January 10, 2005
Reviewer: Patrick Lacson (Santa Clara, CA, USA)
I've been a big fan of the Core programming books, including the Core Java volumen 1/2 series. This book I found while skimming my local library and decided to give this little language a try. I understand that this is an "outdated" book that covers Python 2.0, the latest being 2.4.x as of this writing. However, the material covered in this book is still very valuable.
The author does a good job of introducing the language and arguing why Python should grab your interest as an easy to read, easy to maintain, easy to learn language. Several chapters into the book, without writing a single line of code, I could already understand exactly what the code is doing. Python, as taught in this book, sells itself as a very understandable language.
Furthermore, the book provides excercises in the end of each chapter that helps you think in Python when trying to solve the problems. If you've really studied the chapters, the solution to these questions will seem very obvious. As the Python adage goes, "there's only one obvious way of doing it."
The overall format of this book should be a model for how new languages are treated. Get this book if you want to add Python to your programming tool chest. If you're already familiar with one programming language you'll be writing productive scripts in a matter of hours. If this is your first language, in the order of days!
***** Good book for beginning Python programmers, March 23, 2004
Reviewer: Brian Maula "djspin80" (Chicago, IL, USA)
Definitely worth 5 stars. The book clearly explains its purpose, and the
author makes his methodologies known in the beginning as to how he will
approach teaching the language. His explanations are clear and concise,
and it does not contradict the DOCS available on the Python web site.
He's both humorous and informative, with a relaxed style of writing.
The code in itself is neatly organized, clearly explained, and overall, it works. He does cover a lot of Python basics, the majority of the book are Python basics. He also covers advanced topics such as network programming, extending Python through C/C++ modules, and multithreading. All of which are important, being able to write distributed applications, writing responsive programs, and being able to extend the language are all equally important. Python's power is clearly explained and logically thought-out in this book. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to learn Python but are new to programming.
As a side note, I would also take extra time and check out the DOCS themselves. The author is good, but by no means perfect, supplement the book with the DOCS, it'll help you out a lot more. I have plans on writing more complicated web services using Python, and this book will remain beside me as both a reference and a guide when I'm lost.
***** clear explanations of basic concepts make it a winner, November 25, 2003
Reviewer: Stephen Ferg (Arlington, VA, USA)
I have been programming in Python for a couple of years. "Core" has been
on my bookshelf, but I didn't consult it much until I wanted to learn CGI
("Web") programming, and thought I would see what I could find in it.
It was a revelation! The explanations of basic concepts are very clear, yet short and to the point, and cover all of the basic information. As one example, the explanation of client-server architecture in the chapter on network programming really gives you the basic concepts. I am extremely impressed.
So I think this book would be a very good choice for someone in the beginner to intermediate range. In my case, I'm in the intermediate category for some topics, but for some topics I am a complete beginner. So this book was just what I needed.
The explanations are so clear and well-written that it is easy to give "Core" 5 stars. I suggest that you ignore the reviews that complain about the big type. The big type makes the book a pleasure to read: as one reviewer said, you can just sit down and read this book, even if you're not in front of your computer. The only disadvantage to the big type is that it might give a prospective buyer the impression that this book is not as solid as it really is.
*** could be reduced in size with normal type, July 18, 2003
Reviewer: Sameer "Sam" (San Antonio, TX, USA)
Decent text, but watch out, you might think you are getting a lot of
information after looking at the size of the book, as it's 1000+ pages.
Do keep in mind that this book could be condensed to half it's size or
less if the type was reduced to a normal level.
Overall, this book can be read by a wide range of audiences, from the beginner, to well...somewhat of an expert, as it covers some of the "advanced" topics like gui programming and threading. Most likely, this book will be most appealing to a intermediate level Pythonite. There are juicier picks out there in the same price range, like Python Essential Reference, but if you want to exhaustively complete your python library, this book is not a bad buy.
***** I learned to program with this book, July 16, 2003
Reviewer: Stephen Aichele (Ojai, CA, USA)
A few years ago, I had the privelege to take a Python class (my first
programming class) with Wesley Chun. This book had not yet gone to
print, but we were using photocopied chapters as our text for the
class. At the time, I poured myself into learning the language, and now
I am extremely grateful that I chose Python as the first language to
learn and had this book to learn from!
The exercises can be quite challenging, and the text needs editing in places, but overall it's very clear and consistent throughout. (If you already are a programmer, you shouldn't have much difficulty getting a handle on what's going on from the examples). This book also makes a fantastic reference - there are times when I have referred to it more often than the Python reference itself.
The Python language induces good programming habits, and this book really brings this quality to light. A great first language to learn, and a great book to learn with.
Note: I'd also love to see a Part II dealing with more advanced material (particularly async network programming, AI, and even more web programming).
***** A great book..., January 17, 2003
Reviewer: kyle12345678 (Whitehouse Station, NJ, USA)
One of the best python books I've read-- topped only by Python
Bible 2.1. Core Python Programming is a great resource dealing
with the main language and many modules.
***** King of the Lot, December 27, 2002
Reviewer: tmg ( Charlotte, NC, USA)
A simple test. If you own a slew of reference books on Python (as
I do), consider which one you reach for most often while programming?
My answer is this book by Wesley Chun. The authors conversational
style and the books clear and consistent layout make this a pleasure
as a reference. Here's to hoping Wesley Chun publishes a Volume 2
dealing with advanced topics (especially given the new language
features added since publication). This is one of the few books
dealing with ANY programming language that can justify a [$$] price
tag. If you are not using this as a text book you are cheating your
students. And cheating is not cool.
***** Good book for every one.
- From beginer to advanced level, February 4, 2002
Reviewer: Nirmal (Bangalore, India)
I started book reading Acknowledgements,Where i found name of
Guido Van Rossum, creator of Python in Technical Review Panel
of this book. That itself establishes the credibility.
I recommend Python as the first object oriented program to learn,
for that this book is defintely worth. Author explains everything
in a very simple manner, including how the language modules itself
are constructed.
Explaining data structured related to language is basic requirement
for any programming book - This book does exceptionaly well in this.
I personally liked the part - Extending Python.Also this book covers
JPython - Java avatar of Python.
***** Highly recommended for beginners,
January 13, 2002
Reviewer: Paul T. Ammann (New Fairfield, CT, USA)
For the last few months I was developing in Perl. But I found myself
very frustrated with the syntax, and the Perl books on the market did
a so-so job on explaining how everything worked.
And then I came across this book. I had read a review about in the
Linux Journal. In 2 days I "inhaled" 200+ pages of this book, about
7 chapters. To begin with, this book is easy to understand, has
numerous examples to go long with the text, and does an excellent
job in progessing through Python.
The first 400 pages cover syntax, style, functions, classes, modules,
etc. If you've ever programmed in another language (C, C++, Java,
Perl), Mr. Chun compares Python to each of them in simularities and
differences. You should be pick up on these quite easily. The last
part of the book in more advanced topics, which I found quite
enjoyable.
I don't program in Perl anymore. After reading this book, I wonder
why I didn't look at Python first. Aside from a book on Tkinter,
this is the only book that I keep on my desk. It's great for teaching
and learning, but makes a great reference book also.
COMMENT: Alister Lee "timetaxi" (Ulmarra NSW Australia)**** Too much for beginners -- not enough for advanced, December 17, 2001
I bought the book based on this review. It lives up to expectations.
Reviewer: Troy W Cooper "Marlow" (Coquille, OR, USA)
The author goes into goes into a lot of detail regarding strings, numbers, lists and and like. In fact, it's so much detail that most beginners might feel overwhelmed. But it's reasonable for a person with some experience. The only problem is that the advanced topics are given less detail than I would have liked. Networking, regular expressions, and the like do not get as much attention as I would have liked.
***** good all around python book - great to learn
from, December 14, 2001
Reviewer: Corey Goldberg (Boston, MA, USA)
This book is an excellent read for someone new to python but with
some other programming knowledge. This was my first exposure to
Python (coming from PERL) and I found this book very helpful. The
author explains things very thoroughly and intuitively. He writes
a lot of prose and not just all code examples, but good explanations
also. I found myself reading this most times without a computer in
front of me. So by the time I actually sat down and dug into the
syntax, I was already very familiar with the basic concepts of the
language. It touches on most subjects I was looking for. It may
not be for the extreme beginner or as the end-all reference for
gurus, but for us in between its just whats needed. this is
easily one of the better programming books I've read.
*** Try another book, November 20, 2001
Reviewer: MR D J Crawford (Kingston Upon Thames, Surrey, UK)
The main fault of this book is that it is very verbose. The author
constantly repeats himself. Whoever edited it did a very poor job.
The book should either be shorter/cheaper or have more useful content.
Its not a bad book but there must be something better out there.
Essential Python and Python Developers Handbook look worth trying.
***** An excellent introduction to Python, October 3, 2001
Reviewer: C. Young "tanabata" (West Jordan, UT, USA)
This book is an excellent introduction to the Python scripting language. It may be a little slow for you if you are already familiar with other programming or scripting languages, but I think you will still learn some important things.
One comment on the 1 star review. Programming does involve math. In order to do really exciting things, math is a must. Giving a book one star because the author uses too many math examples is like rating a movie poorly because the director put too much acting in it.
* He is a Mathematician, August 1, 2001
Reviewer: David Elliott Sewell "dsewell@spinner.com" (San Francisco, CA, USA)
I am interested in python mostly for it's similiarity to perl and the language's usefulness in systems administration. This book has a lot of math in it. It is just ok.
**** a little too basic for an experienced programmer, May 16, 2001
Reviewer: karthik (India)
If you have been coding in another programming language and if it's OO as well, then you can pick up the python syntax from the tutorial that comes along with the release or tons of web sites can teach you the same. It's pretty straight forward. I have to say here that this book is very weak on the advanced concepts. There are'nt many interesting examples in "advanced topics". I c'd finish it off in a week's time. I think this book is a little too expensive for it's content. If they c'd slash the price then this book is recommended for it covers the basics pretty well.
***** best intro to python, March 4, 2001
Reviewer: A reader (Unterweikertshofen, Germany)
If you do not know python or have only immediate knowledge then get
this book. it explains all the python concepts in a clear and easy
to follow way. I think it is much better than "Learning Python" from
Oreilly or the ugly "Python in 24 hours". If you want to learn python,
you should consider buying this book. Besides Addison-Wesleys Book
"Programming Ruby - A pragmatic programmers guide", this is one of
the best introductions to a language I have come across.
**** I agree with the reader from Menlo Park, CA, February 4, 2001
Reviewer: A reader (Sunny So-Cal... beats living in cold Menlo Park)
The author's writing style is very similar to Bruce Eckel's. Both
authors present somewhat abstract concepts in a clear and concise
way that makes reading their material enjoyable. I highly recommend
this book for any novice programmer wanting to learn Python. Chun
does a good job explaining OOP concepts, so if you only have
experience with a procedural language (C, Pascal, etc.)don't worry.
If you are a programming expert, purist, guru, or OOP king you may
find this book a bit long and shallow.:)
**** Not bad, January 21, 2001
Reviewer: A reader (Menlo Park, CA, USA)
This is written in the style of Bruce Eckel's books on C++ and Java.
If you liked those, then you will probably like this one. Written
in an accessible prose style, it covers the language syntax in
exhaustive detail. It's weaker on applications, with a thin discussion
of GUI and Web programming. If you have programmed in Java or C++,
this is not a bad choice (though, personally, I prefer PYTHON
ESSENTIAL REFERENCE, which is much terser).
**** good book, January 11, 2001
Reviewer: zmanz
I have read the first 100 pages of the book. The author assumes that
you know something about programming, so it is not for absolute
beginners. As long as you know the basics of progamming you should
be fine. The book is divided into 2 sections: Core Python and advanced
topics( regular expressions, network programming, Web programming,
and threads, etc). He starts off with a crash course in python
covering all major topics of python. Then he covers the topics in
detail. I have read other python books before and this one is by
far the best. The author is a very good writer. He writes in a very
clear and logical manner. The topics are covered thorougly. I haven't
seen many errors in the text, so that's good.
***** A wealth of knowledge, 6 Oct 2008
Reviewer: K. Fleming (UK)
core PYTHON programming SECOND EDITION is a well laid out respository of powerfull knowledge, all in one place. A brilliant aid to understanding Python programming at all skill levels. If like me you can't resist the urge to dig deeper and find out what makes things tick, then this is a resource second to none. A big thank you to WESLEY J CHUN and everyone who supported him in putting together this great piece of work. I will recommend this book everytime.
***** Very good Python primer for newcomers, 17 Jul 2008
Reviewer: Michele (Rome, Italy)
I learned Python basics thanks to this book. It is divided in two parts. In the first one, all the foundations of the language are clearly explained, whereas in the second one more andvanced stuff and applications are presented. Thanks to the many small scripts and examples, which you can try out on the fly, you can master all the basic syntax very quickly. Highly recommended reading for newcomers, it makes you appreciate the beauty of programming in Python.
***** Great book for a grounding in Python, 29 April 2008
Reviewer: Ms. E. J. Weavers (London, UK)
I have been very happy with this book as an introduction to Python. The pages are well laid out, the writing is clear and concise, good examples have been chosen to illustrate the features of Python and there are interesting exercises at the end of each chapter to consolidate ones knowledge. Highly recommended.
***** Excellent book for learning Python, 19 Mar 2008
Reviewer: A. Smith "Andrew1979" (Leeds, UK)
I got this book as a Christmas present (Christmas 2007) as I had been curious about Python for some time. I found the book really interesting and helpful and have read the book from chapter to chapter, beginning to end as I found the book that interesting. I found the book can be used either just purely as a reference as well as an interesting read. The book covers all of the core basic Python programming skills needed to use Python confidently with really good examples along the way so you can quickly get into Python scripting. The author covers advanced / additional topics such as regular expressions, widgets, socket programming among others if you're interested in learning further, again with excellent examples. This book is a must for any C/C++ programmers wanting to learn Python.
***** An awesome must have!, 29 Nov 2007
Reviewer: K. H. Smith "C" (Seattle)
I've just purchased this book for £14.x and I have to say, it's one of the best books I've ever read with regard to programming. It covers pretty much everything you would need.
***** deepest book on Python that I've read, 21 Nov 2007
Reviewer: Bert Heymans (Belgium)
The author details information on the language and it's internals in a very clear way. The book never kept me wondering "why is it like this" for too long, most of the time the answer to the question I had been asking myself could be read in the next paragraph or on the next page.
I found useful things in this book that wouldn't be easy to get a hold of on the internet, nowadays that's my number one criterium for a good technology book. Love it!
***** Extremely good introductory book, April 16, 2001
Reviewer: Chris Lamb (Edinburgh)
I have the fortune of most of the Python related books to refer to but this
title is the one I always look at first. It has been invaluable while I have
been learning the language. I would strongly recommend anyone interested in
an introductory Python text toward it, even ahead of the "Learning Python"
title.
***** Completely brilliant - the book to start with for
Python, January 9, 2001
Reviewer: kjohnston (Ireland)
This is a really excellent book. It brings beginners from no previous
programming skills up to being adept programmers. It contains many useful
and clear examples, introducing many modules. As a bonus it contains an
excellent introductory chapter on CGI programming, which until now, has
been hard to find. Hats off to Mr. Chun - it's what we've been waiting for!
***** A must-have for the Python programmer, April 1, 2001
Reviewer: korpilla at fmi.uni-passau.de from Ortenburg, Germany
"Core Python" aims at the intermediate programmer, where intermediate
means a programmer with more than novice knowledge about another language,
most preferrably C/C++ or Java. This makes sense, since Python is most
closely related to these languages, they're the logical choice for
extending Python/JPython. Actually programmers familiar with these
languages will get good hints in which aspects Python is different.
The book is easy to read, as promised by the author, but some passages are really cramped with information. For use as a reference guide, this book is highly recommended. Tables summarize essential facts and give a good overview over key features. The books chapters are clearly related to their topics, and the topics are discussed in-depth. For example, when explaining garbage collection and memory allocation, useful facts as the reference-counting mechanism and the del command are explained, examples ease understanding. Unlike "Programming Python" from O'Reilly, this book is not only a collection of program samples, but fulfills its promise of teaching the "core" features of the language.
Some advanced features are in my opinion mentioned a bit too early, except you already have an idea what the autor is talking about. I guess a novice programmer could learn the language by this book alone, since it is more than just a technical readout. But a steep learning curve would be the price, the O'Reilly book "Learning Python" would be a better recommendation, though still somewhat of a tough choice for the absolute novice. Unlike the O'Reilly books "Core Python" omits any Python-specific humor, it clearly aims at a professional audience, but its style makes you seem to inhale the facts, and that clearly compensates for that. The print of the book is not as well, especially the tables are too dark, as if colored graphics were printed black-white without any adjustment. This is especially surprising when keeping in mind the colorful wrapping of the book. Overall rating: A must-have for the Python programmer.
comp.lang.python
and other NEWSGROUPs and MAILING LISTs
From: "Abah Joseph" (joefazee at gmail.com)Subject: Re: book recommendation for Python newbie?
Date: Fri Oct 10 14:57:05 CEST 2008
Core Python Programming" written by Wesley J. Chun, second edition, Prentice Hall, ISBN 0-13-226993-7, go for it. I`m only a PHP programmer and this book have helped me a lot from basic to advance level.
From: "Gabriel Rossetti" (gabriel.rossetti at arimaz.com)
Subject: Re: book recommendation for Python newbie?
Date: Fri Oct 10 10:35:52 CEST 2008
I Learned Python using "Core Python Programming" written by Wesley J.
Chun, second edition, Prentice Hall, ISBN 0-13-226993-7
I found it to be really good, it starts by introducing the key concepts
in the early chapters and then goes over each concept more in depth in
the later chapters. The second part of the book has advances topics,
like DB, network, RegEx, GUIs, etc.... I use Python in a professional
environment to develop a commercial app. I was very quickly able to
program in Python with this book.
Gabriel
From: "Michael Poeltl" (michael.poeltl at univie.ac.at)
Subject: Re: newbie in python
Date: Thu Feb 21 15:41:09 CET 2008
another book I like very much is "Core Python Programming" (written by Wesley Chun)
From: "Shawn Milochik" (shawn at milochik.com)
Subject: Re: Python Book Recommendations
Date: Wed, 15 Aug 2007 10:47:40 -0400
If I could have only one book, I would buy "Core Python, Second Edition," by Wesley Chun.
From: "Midwest Book Review" (mwbookrevw at aol.com)
Subject: MBR: The Computer Shelf
Date: Mon, Dec 4 2006 11:19 am
Group: alt.books.reviews
Wesley Chun's CORE PYTHON PROGRAMMING, 2ND EDITION (0132269937, $49.99) provides developers with an in-depth survey of the updated Python 2.5, comes from a leading Python developer and trainer, and utilizes real-world code examples throughout to cover all the basics of Python programming. Other books on Python don't cover nearly as much - it's difficult to move smoothly from a basic introduction to advanced applications - but developers will appreciate the easy transitions here which focus on how to build more effective applications and how to use Python toolkits alongside the program itself.
From: Ramon Diaz-Uriarte (rdiaz02 at gmail.com)
Subject: Learning Python
Date: Mon, Nov 6 2006 3:31 am
If you are looking for a "book I'll pay money for", I'd recommend "Core Python Programming", by Chun.
From: UrsusMaximus at gmail.com
Subject: Observation on "Core Python Programming"
Date: Sun, Oct 29 2006 4:27 pm
I must say I find Wesley Chun's explanations to be most understandable. I cant' exactly figure out why yet, but he has a way of explaining something, like, say, decorators, that in minimal words elucidates for me the intent behind why they are useful. That helps me understand how they work. I just finished reading the chapter on Functions for the book, I guess I was partly prompted by this thread on the newsgroup. it was a *very* quick read, I could scan quickly but gain a better understanding of the whole topic of functions in Python, including inner functions, closures, decorators, continuations, and coroutines. Talk about bang for the buck, that half hour to 45 minutes of reading new chapter in Wesley Chun's new book was the best investment of time i have made in quite a while.
I really like this book. I really, really, really like it.
From: Jay Parlar (jparlar at cogeco.ca)
Subject: 2.5 excitement
Date: Wed, Apr 19 2006 6:53 am
On Apr 18, 2006, at 9:06 PM, Alex Martelli wrote:
> Funny timing coincidence: your 1st draft of Python for Dummies going
> in now, my 2nd edition of Python in a Nutshell just went to production,
> AND Wesley Chun's 2nd ed is also being finished this week.
Wesley Chun is doing a second edition of Core Python? Oh wow! That's the book I learned Python with oh so long ago(between 1.5.2 and the mysterious 1.6). I told people for a long time that Core was the best book with which to learn Python....
From: chris (chris at thedunscombes.f2s.com)
Subject: RE: 10Gb experience
Date: Fri, 17 Sep 2004 08:57:45 +0100
You could also try "Core Python Programming - Chun" which I've found very helpful.
From: dave (dave at immunitysec.com)
Subject: [nylug-talk] ny python usergroup?
Date: Tue Jul 20 14:51:00 EDT 2004
I personally like the big white "CORE Python Programming" book. It's easy to read, and it gives you a good grasp of the basics of the language when you're done, even if you haven't touched a keyboard.
From: Eddie Corns (eddie at holyrood.ed.ac.uk)
Subject: Book Recommendation
Date: Thurs, Oct 9 2003 7:29 am
Anthony
I think CPP is a very good book (apart from being dated). As someone who had
already done programming I found I just whizzed through it. Each chapter
easily explained how each of the things I knew how to do would be done in
Python and in the right order to build on. I read most of the chapters in 2
days (skipped regexs and classes IIRC on the first pass). Then I went and
started applying it with the book at hand.
Eddie
From: David Mertz (mertz at gnosis.cx)
sir_penguin.geo at yahoo.com (Neil MacMillan) wrote previously:
Of these two, I would recommend Chun's book to someone just learning
Python. In fact, of the more than half dozen introductory books, _Core
Python_ is probably my favorite, but _Learning Python_ and _Python
Bible_ are both good (avoid the Martin Brown titles at all costs; all
the others are OK).
From: Geoff Howland (ghowland@lupineNO.SPAMgames.com)
On Mon, 21 Oct 2002 20:20:20 -0700 (PDT), ed
I found the python tutorial pages on the python.org site, and the
I also bought 'Core Python Programming' by Wesley J. Chun (Prentice
From: Janusz A. Urbanowicz (alex at bofh.org.pl)
I'm quite content with having "Core Python Programming" by Wesley Chun. The
book has two parts - a solid tour around the language, then a couple of
sections on actual tasks like socket programming, TkInter, Web programming,
REs etc.
Alex
From: Jay Parlar (jparlar at home.com)
Bill Bell (bill-bell at bill-bell.hamilton.on.ca) wrote:
To reiterate what Bill said in his post, buy Wesley Chun's book.
At the end of every chapter there are a good number of chapter
related exercises. Chun tries to cover most of the chapter's topics
in these problems, and they really helped me learn Python. I
seriously can't recommend this book enough. It's a fantastic piece
of work.
Jay P.
From: Arthur Watts (arthur.watts at gbst.com)
... Over the last 18 or so months, I have purchased each of these books:
I admit that the sheer novelty of seeing new Python books on the
shelves may have promoted some of these purchases. I also have an
extensive library of other programming / IT titles, so I like to think
I can tell a good book from one which has been cobbled together just
to cash in on a language's popularity (just browse thru some of the
Java titles out there today...). Of the titles I have listed, my
favourites are the Essential Reference and Core Python Programming.
Learning Python is also very well written, but I tend to be of the
'quickly show me the principle and a short example and I'll take it
from here' breed, and the other two are very good for this. Reading
books is no substitute for writing code and internalising the results
for yourself (a lot of Python's subtleties aren't evident from simply
scanning someone else's code...), but they do give you a good basis
to work from.
From: Sheila King (sheila at thinkspot.net)
I have these three Python books:
Programming Python, 2nd ed. Mark Lutz. Assumes that you already know Python.
If you felt really comfortable after working through the Tutorial that comes
with the standard distribution, and were already up and writing scripts, this
might be a good book. Not concise. But, has an index. Lots of examples. Lots.
Huge book.
Core Python Programming. Wesley Chun. Assumes you already know some other high
level programming language. Starts with a nice overview chapter, and then has
a chapter on each topic which goes into more detail. My favorite of the three
I have. Not as big as Programming Python, 2nd ed, and the print is larger.
Lighter to read. Many examples.
Quick Python. Daryl Harms and Kenneth McDonald. An extremely concise overview
for someone who already knows how to program in another language. Small and
compact. I haven't looked at this one quite as much. A fair number of
examples. Most examples are snippets, rather than full programs.
--
Sheila King
From: Timothy Wilson (wilson at visi.com)
On Fri, 4 May 2001, Daniel Yoo wrote:
Well I've had the chance to buy and read most of it. It's
excellent. Wesley's book is probably the best I've read so far. I like the
mix of basic and more advanced topics at the end. The exercises in the back
of the chapter are the best I've seen. (I plan to steal liberally from them
next year when I teach my Python class :-)
-Tim
From: Jason Cunliffe (jasonic at nomadicsltd.com)
"Carlos Alberto Reis Ribeiro" (cribeiro at mail.inet.com.br) wrote:
I recommend that of all the Python books thus far, 'Core Python Programming'
by Wesley Chun has this balance.
-- Jason
From: Bo Vandenberg (bosahv at netscapenospam.net)
I don't know about the Mac flavour of Python but the best book for me has
been "Core Python Programming" by Wesley J. Chun. Its really well laid out.
Its one of the more recent books too. Published by Prentice Hall.
bo
From: chris (chrislamb at btinternet.com)
Benjamin.Altman wrote:
"Core Python Programming" from PH is easily the better book for easing into
Python. I am an O'Reilly fan and generally buy their books blind if it is
on a subject I am interested in (since they very rarely disappoint).
However on this occassion the PH book is a genuinely good book and worth
buying, considerably more than the Learning Python book and the 2e version
of Programming Python.
Chris
From: alan runyan (runyaga at thisbox.com)
how are you approaching python? what is your level of experience w/ python?
what kinda books do you like? reference, explanatory, or 'by example' ? My
favorite is Essential Reference, David Beazley did a incredible job.
1/Programming Python 2nd edition at O'reilly
2/ Core Python Programming / Chun / Prentice Hall
3/ Python Essential Reference / David Beazley / New Riders Publishing
cheers,
From: chris (chrislamb at btinternet.com)
May I repeat what has already been said: Core Python Programming is also an
excellent book. I also have the Mark Lutz book but would have sorely missed
the CPP book by Chun while I have been learning the language the last
couple of months.
Good luck and enjoy yourself! I have found Python great to develop with,
Chris
From: Jason Cunliffe (jasonic at nomadicsltd.com)
This morning I wes very happy to see in my local Barnes
& Noble today a prominent stack of an excellent new
book: 'Core Python Programming' by Wesley Chun.
IMHO This is #1 the best written book on Python I have yet set eyes on.
Wesley Chun has a deceptively clear prose style, and strikes a clean balance
between the obvious but essential, yet carefully elucidating famous pythonic
topics.
I really think this is the most suitable entry text for Python which
presently exists. It is writen with grace and skill by an author who
obviously wnows his topic. It lays a great foundation. I truly look
forwards to any more volumes he may produce in this series.
- Jason
Mr. Chun's writing style is uniquely qualified for his subject matter. He writes as if he were in the same room with the reader, engaging in a conversation. He anticipates questions, and explains ambiguities. I find his explanations of new and difficult material to be the best there is. He points out the reasons why difficult or new features are useful, what problems they are intended to solve, and then illustrates programming techniques with the shortest possible example code, making it as clear as conceivably possible. This style suits my brain.
The book starts out with a quick but competent overview of the whole language, then moves into much more detailed coverage of each topic. This allows for more comprehensive coverage than if the author tried going into full detail on first bringing up each topic.... The book did not get written quickly, and it shows. The original edition itself was a masterpiece but six years later, the care and craftsmanship of many years is quite evident in the evolution of this book, which at 1077 pages contains no fluff.... Core Python Second Edition is my favorite Python book.
A funny thing happened on the way to work one day. I decided it was time to start learning a little python and suddenly, there was my favorite publisher, sending me emails about this new python book they had and would I look at it. "Sure!" said I, and boy am I glad I did.
First, let me say that this book is an absolute monster at well over a thousand pages, and at a list price of $50, but its really worth it. This book let me start out as a complete python idiot and took my hand to gently guide me through loads and loads of information. As a novice, I found the book easy to get through and as a programmer, I found it easy to find references to the things I wanted to do in a hurry and the code snippets are invaluable as a quick syntax reference as well. This one is worth hanging on to!
Not a week goes by without Beginnerone coming up with some cool new application he's written in Python. Python is like that: you can use it for extremely fast software development. No other language can even come close, IMO. What a beautiful language it is.
CORE PYTHON PROGRAMMING is the best, single-volume book about Python. I came across it because Ron Stephens of the Python 411 Podcast ranted about it. Eventually he even did an interview from Pycon with Chun and it's a great listen.
Beginnerone, this book is for you. You can borrow my copy or I'll use some school money to buy you one. Who knows where you'd go with this book--the possibilities really are endless.
I see on your reading list you are planning to study Python in August.
I recommend you put Core Python, 2nd Edition in place of Programming Python, 3rd Edition.
My experience is with the previous editions of both. I found Core Python to be a better way to learn the language; it was more readable and succinct. Programming Python tried to be all things to all people and was just too big and long. I see the 3rd Edition is even longer than the 2nd.
This is a good book about programming. Most of all, it is clear, friendly and fun book to read. This not something to be said about most of the programming books. Quite amazingly, Core Python manages to retain these characteristics throughout the thousand pages that are spiced up with occasional dry humour and relaxed style of writing. There is no deficiency of code snippets and complete example programs. Also the book's layout is good. The clear look is fostered with a little oversized font. The publisher, Prentice Hall, has done a good work as well. One might even say that like Python code, also the book is beautiful.
As for the books I would(and often do) recommend "Core Python Programming" by Wesley [Chun]. Its a great book that goes through virtually everything you could want to know about python programming.
I would not recommend VB. I really do think that it will be losing
ground to better languages in the very near future. I think the best
language for beginners is Python, without a doubt. My favorite book
is "Core Python Programming". Plus there are some python front-ends
for car software that other users around here have been working on
that would make good examples for learning more.
Bottom line? Learn VBScript for down-and-dirty Windows jobs and
Python for cross-platform, enterprise-class work.... To learn
Python, I'd start with Core Python Programming by Wesley Chun. The
online documentation and tutorial is also terrific.
If you learn well from books, I suggest 'Core Python Programming' by Wesley
Chun. It is by far the best I've found. I'm a Python newbie as well and in
3 months time I've been able to implement Python in projects at work
(automating MSOffice, SQL DB stuff, etc.).
> "Those of us in O'Reilly Editorial were, well, shocked when we saw
I dont really like the book. ;( I think its ok. but I dont use TKinter.
I would much prefer to use wxWindows. And the book is entirely too large
and too verbose for what its trying to accomplish - a definitive guide.
I think Core Python by Wesley Chun does a much better job at introducing
and explaining how the language works.
~runyaga
Pro:
Con Core Python Programming è stata coperta una "mancanza editoriale"
che consisteva, appunto, nell’assenza di un testo ordinato e coerente
che spiegasse bene il linguaggio di Guido Van Rossum. È molto completo
ed è consigliato a tutti i programmatori Python, soprattutto a quelli
che vogliono avvicinarvisi.
Contro :
Sebbene sia di pubblicazione molto recente, copre solo parzialmente la
versione 2.0, più che altro fornendo una carrellata delle novità introdotte
L’autore si concentra, infatti, più che altro sulla versione 1.5, con
molti riferimenti a feature presenti nella 1.6 (che, in gran parte, sono
comunque quelle che caratterizzano la 2.0).
>Hello I'm currently trying to read Core Python Programming, but by the
>looks of it im never going to get done the book is about 860 pages long
>real intimidating, but im guess im going to have to stick in there. have
>any of you ever read it? is it a good book? if not what do you suggest i
>read. Please help me i'm eager to learn :)
Subject: Books: Core Python Programming vs. Python Cookbook
Date: 2003-01-07 15:01:08 PST
> I'm a 1st year computer science student, but I've been teaching myself
> Python as my first useful programming language
> Core Python for explanations of specific things...
> I looked at Python Cookbook, which seemed interesting too.
Subject: best way to learn
Date: 2002-10-21 21:51:41 PST
>Should I get a book, if so which one?
>Or can I get pretty much everything I need on the web,
>like a lot of good tutorials and some good language references?
modules to answer a lot of my inital questions. So they are a good
part of it.
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.
:)
Subject: Best book on Python? [edited]
Date: 2001-09-20 04:29:54 PST
Subject: newbie question
Date: 2001-07-11 18:14:35 PST
> "crombie" (crombie88 at yahoo.com) wrote:
> > so, i wanna learn python.
> > i read the docs on python.org. what do i do now? is there like a
> > website with a list of starter projects that need to be done in
> > python to prove you know it and help you learn it?
>
> Wesley Chun's "Core Python" has an excellent reputation. Wesley
> himself is very helpful on the tutorial list.
>
> Bill
Subject: [Tutor] Manuals/books
Date: Tue, 15 May 2001 08:05:02 +1000
Subject: [Tutor] Python book suggestion please
Date: Fri, 04 May 2001 20:27:27 -0700
Subject: [Tutor] Python book suggestion please
Date: Fri, 4 May 2001 07:09:43 -0500 (CDT)
> 4. Wesley Chun has just written "Core Python Programming", and since
> he's one of the tutor at python.org list operators, it would be simply
> criminal not to mention his book. (Ahem.) I've heard good things about
> it, but haven't had the chance to buy it yet.
Subject: Python Books for 2002
Date: 2001-04-16 08:46:58 PST
> So, what is needed is:
>
> - a book that doest not suppose that readers are stupid, BUT
> - does not go so far as assuming that they already know everything.
>
> This is a very hard balance to achieve... No surprise that few books ever
> achieve it.
Subject: Newbie needs book advice
Date: 2001-04-14 22:06:01 PST
Subject: learning python...
Date: 2001-03-24 03:36:57 PST
> Hello. From the perspective of someone who already has programming
> experience, would anyone know if O'reillys "Learning Python" book would
> be better than say Prentice Hall's "Core Python Programming"? Or would
> it be better to go straight into something like "Programming Python"?
Subject: Please rate these Python books
Date: 2001-03-21 20:18:08 PST
Very big, has quite a bit of information (4-5 chapters) on Tkinter (which I
dont use at all), socket programming (which I do use), internet applications
(HTMLgen, ZOPE, etc). The book is massive and has small type face, packed
full of information. Examples tend to be a bit longer than Core Python. If
you want tons of information and especially plan on using Tkinter, this is
definetly the best book out of the three. I feel this book is very good and
tends to get a bit more detailed than Core Python, but I only use ~40% of
the information.
I recommended a friend of mine this book, and I read quite a bit of it.
Very well laid out, nice type face, very good (brief) examples. I would
recommend this book. My friend read Core Python and Programming Ruby at the
same time -- comparing the two languages. At first he didnt like it, but
after he finished it he said it was a *very* good intro and has a very idea
of python now. *NOTE* he finished the book. I wouldnt imagine finishing
Programming Python. He also concluded Ruby didnt offer anything else that
Python didnt have (that he would use) and likes the elegance.
My favorite python book, great reference book if you already know python, or
like Nutshell books. type face is very small ;( but its compact and full
of all sorts of goodies. not as many examples as a newbie would like. at
work, all the people who use python, snatch this from each others desk. if
you like books and already familiar w/ python -- this is a must.
~runyaga
Subject: Newbie needs book advice
Date: 2001-04-15 00:56:03 PST
Subject: Great New Book
Date: 2000-12-28 19:41:47 PST
MISCELLANEOUS
Technical Book Favorites Amazon Listmania! list by Peter Bailey (London, ON Canada)
2008 Nov
I have several books on python, and most of them are quite good. This one is at the top of my list. Gets into more detail than most, explaining how and why things work the way they do.
Stack Overflow "Is there a definitive book on Python?" thread
2008 Oct
Core Python Programming: It gives a thorough discussion of the core language, including some very lucid discussion of the wonkier aspects of the language (such as generators, list comprehensions). I found the coverage of the built in data structures very handy. This book is a good reference.
MACRESEARCH.ORG
2008 Sep
For a person just learning to program, I second heartily the suggestion of using Python. Mac OS X has Python already installed, ready to go.... There are also many good books on Python.... Two books that I liked for learning Python are Learning Python ... and Core Python Programming ... by Wesley Chun....
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA MATH 5233 COURSE WEBSITE
2008 Jan
If you want a hard copy books, these three are among the best I know: Core Python Programming, Programming Python, and Learning Python. Personally I liked the Core Python Programming book the best, but the best for you will depend on your taste and background.
PYTHON LEARNING FOUNDATION WEBSITE
(main link)
2006 Nov 17
If I could only own one Python book, it would be Core Python Programming, Second Edition by Wesley J. Chun. This book manages to cover more topics in more depth than Learning Python but includes it all in one book that also more than adequately covers the core language. If you are in the market for just one book about Python, I recommend this book. You will enjoy reading it, including its wry programmer's wit. More importantly, you will learn Python. Even more importantly, you will find it invaluable in helping you in your day-to-day Python programming life. Well done, Mr. Chun!
HOMEUNIX.ORG WEBSITE
2006 Oct 25, 18:24:26
Core Python Programming, another Prentice Hall beauty, this time by Wesley J. Chun.
PROGRAMMINGBOOKS.ORG WEBSITE
(main link)
2006
An excellent, thoroughgoing introduction to python from the perspective of a programmer with some modicum of experience.
USELESS
PYTHON/Mississippi Python users group WEBSITE
(main link)
2001 Jul 13
[My] highest praise goes to two books designed to help explain
intermediate and advanced topics. Programming Python 2nd Edition
by Mark Lutz is a very conversational tutorial of real world Python.
And Core Python Programming by Wesley J. Chun covers basic concepts
in depth before proceeding to more advanced topics, with exercises at the
end of each chapter to encourage hands-on practice at each step along the
way. These two books seem (to me) to have given Python newbies a lot of
great material to explore together on the Python Tutor Email List and in
other forums.
BLOG ENTRIES and COMMENTARY
Y Combinator AskYC/news entry by amour
(main thread link)
Saturday, February 23, 2008
I found Core Python Programming by Wesley J. Chun is the best python book so far that I requested the university library to get it (among couple other books) for my research.
All about Linux blog entry by Ravi
(main link)
Monday, February 11, 2008
If you do not know Python language and is looking for some direction then you should look at the two books Core Python programming and Python phrasebook which will give you a head start in mastering this powerful but easy to learn language.
Cold Front Ramblings blog entry by RichSkyline and MisterG
(main link)
Thursday, January 24, 2008
If no one else reads this, I'm hoping Beginnerone will. Beginnerone is a student in my high school computer programming club. He is the perfect student to introduce Python to: smart, self-driven, clever, independent thinking.
TaoSecurity blog comment by Anonymous [wasn't me! -ed.]
(main link)
2007 Dec 31
Anonymous said...
5 Kickass Books for Software Engineering Students Handthrow blog entry by Matt
(main link)
2007 Sep 8
This is one that I've not actually had to buy for my course. We covered Python in one of my second year modules, and anyone who has come across Python would probably agree that it is pretty awesome and definitely worth getting familiar with. Core Python Programming has been written with programmers in mind and so it doesn.t spend an awful lot of time on basics such as program flow and control structures. Like Head First Java, it covers a lot of ground, including developing network applications with the twisted framework, multithreading, and talking to databases.
/home/drear Book review blog entry
(main link)
2007 Aug 31
Programming handbooks make an exception in that these are computer books that I usually buy. When you are learning a new language, it is good to have some definite introductory book at your disposal. Not necessary because of the programming language per se, but maybe more because of the involved idioms that every language carry. When you go deeper, perhaps you get a new definite guide, but even if you have done your lifework with a given language, it is always good to have a handbook when your mind all of a sudden hits blank in the middle of a loop. Chun Wesley's 2nd edition Core Python Programming (2007) was my choice for this language that contains more idioms and paradigms than a basket made of other programming languages.
Get Going with Python 1: Getting a Feel for the Language ShoeMeDo Blog comment by Goyo Milner
(main link)
2007 May 3
For written resources, I would also have to add Wesley Chun's Core Python Programming 2nd Edition. I believe this is the best programming book I have ever read (and I have read a lot!).
VARIOUS MAILING LISTS, MAGAZINES, and FORUMS
Python Forum
(main link)
From: Zyzle
Subject: Re: Best Novice Book on the Python Forum
Date: Tue Jul 01, 2008 12:43 am
Book News SciTech Book News review
(main link)
2006 Dec
This tutorial introduces the fundamentals of Python programming, such as syntax, objects, and data types, and then delves into more advanced topics, such as regular expressions, networking programming with sockets, and GUI development. This second edition reflects major enhancements in the Python 2.x series as well as capabilities for future versions, with new chapters on database and Internet client programming, and new material on new-style classes, Java and Jython, and Win32 COM Client programming. Chun is a Python software engineering consultant. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Library Journal Computer Media review by Rachel Singer Gordon
(main link)
2006 Nov 15
For beginning to intermediate Python users but most useful for those with background in another programming language, this new edition contains updates for Python's latest version, 2.5. Its companion web site (www.corepython.com) contains code for each chapter, useful links, and information on the author's upcoming talks. Extensive chapter exercises are useful for self-study; other helpful features include an appendix of reference tables, tips on best practices, and a final section of advanced topics highlighting what people can build with Python. A thorough introductory guide, this is recommended for medium and larger libraries.
MP3Car.com
Forums Software & Software Development
(main link)
From: s003apr
Subject: advice for starting out in VB programming
Date: 02-05-2005, 08:46 PMMicrosoft
Certified Professional Magazine Online Hoswell's Q&A column
(main link)
Jun 2004
Personally, I really like Python. It's simple to learn, completely
intuitive, amazingly flexible and pretty darned fast. Python has
only just started to claim mindshare in the Windows world, but look
for it to start gaining lots of support as people discover it.
Unix Review
book review for Making Use of Python by Cameron Laird
(main link)
Feb 2003
There are also several introductory published books on Python written
with the passion and precision that Making Use of Python lacks.
My "dead-trees" favorites are Core Python Programming and
Learning Python.
Dev Shed
Forums Python Programming
(main link)
From: ptonman
Subject: Python Newbies
Date: August 29th, 2002, 07:56 PMMacTech
Magazine Scripting column by Paul Ammann
(main link)
Jun 2002
For me, Core Python Programming by Wesley J. Chun was the book that converted me from Perl. Enough said.
ZopeNewbies Mailing List
(main link)
From: runyaga
Subject: Programming Python is Too Big!
Date: 20 Jul 2001 10:11 AM
> the size of the book..... I contracted with Mark Lutz for a 400-page
> book on Python; what he delivered was twice that size. He later
> admitted to me that he was afraid O'Reilly would publish only one
> Python book, so he decided to put everything he could think of into
> the first book."
DESCRIPTIONS/REVIEWS IN OTHER LANGUAGES
:-)
Python is een handige, robuuste, expressieve, en volledig object georiëeerde programmeertaal. Python combineert de kracht van gecompileerde talen met de eenvoud en ontwikkelingssnelheid van een scripttaal. In 'Core Python Programming, 2nd Edition' leert u op een snelle manier met Python werken zodat u onmiddellijk aan de slag kunt met uw Python project.
Una guÃa rápida y clara, muy asequible a todos los públicos pues
no asume conocimientos previos ni experiencia similar. Revisa Python
1.6, el tratamiento de las expresiones regulares, extensiones de
Python y el paradigma de la orientación a objetos. Incluye vario
ejemplos aunque no son de una gran complejidad.
Recensione:
Core Python Programming rappresenta il tanto atteso libro dedicato
a chi vuole imparare il Python e può anche essere utilizzato com
guida di riferimento, una volta completato il processo di apprendimento.
Così come il Python stesso, è ordinato: parte dalle basi e v
, gradualmente, ad esplorare tutte le sfaccettature del linguaggio.
Inizia con una breve introduzione all’installazione dell’interprete,
alla documentazione ed a JPython, un interprete Python completamente riscritto
in Java.
Dal capitolo 2 inizia lo studio del linguaggio, che si apre con
il classico print ’Hello World!’ e prosegue con un’introduzione ai
tipi di dato, agli operatori, alle istruzioni fondamentali (for e while), alla
gestione dei file, alle funzioni ed ai moduli.
Il capitolo successivo è dedicato alla sintassi e, in particolare, all’illustrazione del sistema di indentazione.
Il Python è, infatti, un linguaggio in cui non esistono separatori,
quali parentesi graffe per funzioni, cicli ed altri blocchi di codice, in quanto
tutto è affidato all’indentazione, che deve, quindi, essere ben curata
affinché un programma funzioni.
Il quarto capitolo copre gli oggetti, il cuore del Python, mentre i successivi
sono dedicati a numeri, sequenze (stringhe, liste e tuple), ai dizionari
(corrispondenti a quelli che, in altri linguaggi, sono conosciuti come array
associativi o hash), ai loop ed alle istruzioni condizionali ed
all’input/output su file.
Il Python include una potente gestione di errori ed eccezioni, di cui si parla nel decimo capitolo che, poi, lascia spazio a sezioni sulle funzioni, sui moduli e sulla programmazione OOP.
Quanto sin qui riportato costituisce solo la prima parte del testo, quella dedicata al linguaggio in sé.
La seconda parte copre, invece, la programmazione avanzata: espressioni regolari, programmazione di reti, multithreading, interfacce grafiche, programmazione Web ed estensioni al linguaggio.
Varie appendici completano il volume. Ogni capitolo è diviso in più sezioni che, oltre ad una spiegazione mirata dell’argomento, contengono validi esempi ed un certo numero di esercizi per il lettore.
Il CD-Rom incluso contiene tutti gli esempi del libro, i sorgenti dell’interprete e varie distribuzioni di Python, compilate per i più diffusi sistemi operativi.
CONSULTING WORLD
C. R.
Timmons Consulting
Python is simply a beautiful language. It's easy to learn, it's
cross-platform, and it works. It has achieved many of the technical
goals that Java strives for. A one sentence description of Python
would be: "All other languages appear to have evolved over time -
but Python was designed". And it was designed well....
Unfortunately, there aren't a large number of books for Python.
The best one I've run across so far is Core Python Programming.
MLM
Consulting
If you like the Prentice-Hall Core Programming series, another good
full-blown treatment to consider would be Core Python Programming;
it addresses in elaborate concrete detail many practical topics that get
little, if any, coverage in other books.
![[Core Python Programming]](images/subtitle2e.jpg)
![[powered by Python]](images/pypow.gif)