Making Use of Python [Paperback]

Rashi Gupta (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 15, 2002 | ISBN-10: 0471219754 | ISBN-13: 978-0471219750 | Edition: 1st

Python is a multipurpose development language that can be used on virtually every platform. It offers built-in support for critical development steps including data structures, dynamic typing, and dynamic building. It can be used in lieu of Java or C++, and Python scripts can be developed in a fraction of the time it takes to program and debug higher-level languages.

• Covers language basics and how to use Python for CGI scripting, GUI development, network programming, and much more
• Demonstrates why Python is arguably the most sophisticated of the popular scripting languages and why its popularity continues to grow

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

A step-by-step guide on how to use Python for CGI scripting, GUI development, network programming, and much more!

Organizations such as NASA, Hewlett-Packard, and Xerox have already discovered the power that Python has to offer. This multipurpose development language can be used on virtually every platform, from Windows and Linux to OS/2 and Amiga. With its unique task-oriented approach, this book explores the language basics and then describes how to quickly begin using it for development work. Rashi Gupta first explains why Python is arguably the most sophisticated of the popular scripting languages and why its popularity continues to grow. She uncovers all of Python's unique features, detailing its built-in support for critical development steps, including data structures, dynamic typing, and dynamic building. Gupta then discusses how to use Python in lieu of Java or C++ when developing cross-platform applications. All in all, she'll help you gain the skills necessary to begin programming in Python.

With numerous real-world examples and expert advice,this book:
* Provides a concise and task-oriented introduction to Python
* Helps you evaluate the suitability of Python for your project
* Is a practical introduction to Python's syntax and fundamental strengths
* Includes numerous working scripts, with information on how to adapt and extend them to meet individual needs

The companion Web site contains:
* All source code from the book
* Frequently asked questions, quizzes, and best practices
* Links to other resource sites

Wiley Computer Publishing
Timely. Practical. Reliable.

Visit our Web site at www.wiley.com/compbooks/
Visit the companion Web site at www.wiley.com/compbooks/makinguse

About the Author

RASHI GUPTA is a development executive at NIIT. Since she began working at NIIT in 2000, she has developed instructor-led training material on various technical and nontechnical projects such as Windows 2000 Security, ASP.NET, XML, Adobe Illustrator 9, FrontPage, DreamWeaver, and FireWorks. Her area of work primarily includes analysis, design, development, testing, and implementation of Instructor-led training material. In addition, her responsibilities include training development executives, instruction and technical review, and ISO compliance.

Product Details

• Paperback: 300 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1st edition (June 15, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471219754
• ISBN-13: 978-0471219750
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,903,258 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A little bit of everything, February 6, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Making Use of Python (Paperback)

I borrowed this book from a library and have never used it, because I have not found anything useful in it. I am an advanced software developer who just recently discovered Python. However, I cannot tell how useful this book would be to a beginner. Maybe it is of some use but there are better books than this one.

I just made a few attempts to find some useful information in it and never suceeded. Either I could not find it or the stuff which I found was inaccurate and incomplete.

One example: I was looking for access modes to be used when reading or writing files. I found a table containing the access modes and their descriptions. To my surprise I realized that there were different codes with nearly identical descriptions, like:
r+ Opens a file for both reading and writing
w+ Opens a file for both writing and reading.
Nowhere in this book could I find some more detailed information and explanation of the difference.

I have two other books on Python which I like very much and recommend them both:

- Python Visual Quickstart Guide by Chris Fehily, for beginners
- Python 2.1 Bible by D. Brueck and S.Tanner, for intermediate programmers.

Do not buy this book.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not quite an expert, November 27, 2005

By 

Andrew (San Diego, CA USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Making Use of Python (Paperback)

I am an application developer in Python, so I have high expectations of a book on that language. This treatment was incomplete (no list comprehensions!) and fragmented. Many of the chapters are full of filler instead of useable information. The examples use a poor coding style and look like the programmer was trying to code C++ or Basic. There are a lot of technical errors, too. If you are serious about learning this language you best figure out how to use the Language Reference Manual and Library Reference Manual that are available on the Python web site. Sorry to give such a negative review, but I don't appreciate having my time wasted.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars There is probably a better Python book that addresses the same audience, August 29, 2007

By 

John Zabroski "Friendly Neighbor" (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Making Use of Python (Paperback)

THE GOOD:

I read this book cover-to-cover in a week. It's a small book (300 pages) and a quick read for an experienced programmer. I liked the format of the book as well. It uses a fictitious storyline where you and the author are trying to build a website for "Techsity University".

The overall quality of editing was decent, but it could have been a lot better. I found at least 10 editorial mistakes, including a paragraph repeated verbatim right after it was stated. Yet, I found only one mistake where the code was incorrect in the whole book, which is a huge plus, as I hate finding bugs in an author's code when I am learning the language from them.

THE BAD:

The coverage of method overriding was confusing, despite the fact I knew what the author was saying. I can easily imagine someone who does not know what method overriding is being extremely confused by this section of the book.

It's not that the overall book is confusing, because, at times, the author makes stellar points. The problem is that the quality of the writing is not consistent and can vary greatly from topic to topic, and sometimes varies greatly within a single example. For instance, the coverage of CGI programming uses antiquated HTML style and generally looks like HTML written in the 1990s.

In addition, the book does not really discuss the "Pythonic Way" to write things. This, I feel, is the greatest shortcoming of the book, since it seems to be targeted toward experienced programmers who are familiar with concepts like polymorphism and inheritance. While form should never come before substance, Python programmers believe there is a canonical way to do any task in Python. This belief is seems so engrained in the Python community that I am surprised the author did not bring it up.

There are also some technical errors in places. For instance, when the author is describing the MySQLdb module, she says that close() will close a connection to a database. This is not true. It only closes the cursor. A database connection will be trivially closed when the object is no longer in used.

Finally, this book is not for beginners! The book does not contain any exercises, so it is probably not appropriate for someone looking to learn programming. For that, I recommend Python Programming: An Introduction to Computer Science.

Overall, the book does not have a suitable audience. Experienced programmers probably will want a book that focus on the "Pythonic Way" presentational angle, while beginners will want exercises to test their comprehension of new concepts.