84 of 88 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great book & it comes for free!, December 29, 2004
This review is from: Dive Into Python (Paperback)
I am definitely a C++ & Java aficionado (or bigot , you might say) but I think Python is one scripting language that is worth some studying. This book is a very clear, practically oriented introduction, best suited for people who already know how to program in some other language. It gives you a solid knowledge of Python fundamentals with an accent on parsing HTML and XML. Ah I forgot the best part... you do not have to buy the book! It is available for free download at diveintopython.org ... but the book is so good and the price so "right" that you might consider buying the hardcopy. Thank you Mark!
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48 of 51 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Book for Experienced Programmers, May 18, 2005
This review is from: Dive Into Python (Paperback)
If you've never programmed before, Python is an excellent language to learn modern programming techniques. But this book should not be your starting point. Get "How to Think Like a Computer Scientist: Learning with Python" by Allen Downey, Jeffrey Elkner, Chris Meyers and learn the basics. Then dive into this book.
Mark Pilgrim is an extremely accessible author. He teaches by example. Each chapter teaches powerful techniques and Python idioms by creating a useful program. Anybody with programming experience should be able to follow the examples and learn the language - although a few visits to the Python website docs may help along the way.
Each example is brief and annotated. The annotations combine with explanatory text to reveal the power of this incredible programming language. Python runs on virtually any popular platform and can be downloaded for free. Mark's excellent work will help empower the reader to do useful things almost immediately.
One of the early example programs reads through a directory of MP3 files and lists the header information, such as artist, album, etc. This is accomplished with just a few lines of code.
Mark makes the point that everything in Python is an object. While this is not a text on hard-core object oriented programming, it is an excellent opportunity for the OOP beginner to get a handle on it.
Pilgrim also emphasizes good programming techniques, such as documentation and unit testing. In one of the later chapters he even creates a Python unit testing framework that works for testing Python code to see if it performs as expected. Again, this example is annotated, used to develop both the software engineering skill of unit testing AND properties of the Python language.
He also covers accessing websites and parsing HTML and XML code. This is just an introduction to these subjects. Those interested in learning this in depth will want to continue their reading with other books and web pages focused on these topics.
The book is not dry or boring. It is not a manual. It is an excellent example of how to use the language AND how to think like a master programmer. The latter is reason enough to buy the book even if you're familiar with Python and have been coding for years.
It's a fun read. It's a great second book for somebody learning to program. It's a powerful example for those wishing to improve their programming style and/or learn object programming. I cannot say enough good things about it.
Furthermore, Mark maintains a website and blog. His articles vary from technically dense to enticingly interesting. He's even responded to email I sent him. How many authors do that?
If you found your way to this page, GET THE BOOK! Being here is proof that it's a good match for you. And if you just want to learn to program and have no experience - get the book anyway, then get a more basic book to go with it. DIVE INTO PYTHON will make you a quality programmer if you work your way through it.
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25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
EXCELLENT intro to Python for programmers, May 8, 2004
This review is from: Dive Into Python (Paperback)
If you are already a programmer by trade, but haven't yet started to learn Python, get this book either here or from the web site (just search to find it), and dive in. Each chapter starts with an small example program that actually does useful stuff, most of which is foreign to you when you start reading. A few pages later, you'll understand the whole program, and get a good feeling for what "Pythonic" programming is all about.
The author really understands the subject matter, and he really understands what is needed by readers who already have a strong programming background. Once you've worked your way through this book, you'll understand 1) Python, 2) Good programming practices in Python, and 3) Why Python has become such a success amongst professional programmers.
NOTE: If you don't already know programming, hold off on this book until later. If the whole topic of programming is brand new to you, go instead for Mark Lutz' book, "Learning Python (2nd edition)". Mark covers in great detail what could go wrong as you try things out. He insures you won't get lost. To do that, he has to be very explicit about everything. Experienced programmers don't need nearly so much detail, as they already know most of the stuff in the Lutz book, and will find themselves skipping trememdous amounts. These are the folks for whom this book is written.
I am finding this to be a great book for evangelization of others to the ranks of Python maniac.
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