This XKCD Cartoon says it all....
Python is an object-oriented, dynamically typed scripting language. It is availabe for all modern operating systems. If you have a Mac, you already have Python. Python has quite a few extensions; these are listed below. We teach all of our newbies Python because it is easy to understand, syntactically simple, and "warm and fuzzy". Python is a serious tool, too, and you will never outgrow it! Best of all, it's FREE.
Getting Python and its Extensions
- Here you can get the basic language for your box. This site also proffers a rich array of learning materials for users at all levels of proficiency.
- VPython is an extension of Python that allows you to simulate physical systems using OpenGL graphics. It is very simple to learn and amazingly powerful and fun, too!
- Numpy is an extension of Python for doing numerical calculations with arrays.
- Pylinear is a full-featured linear algebra package for Python. It includes routines for sparse matrices.
- Pygame is a Python extension for writing graphical games.
- wxPython is a set of classes that create graphical wrappers for Python apps in 'doze..
- Pythonica is a Python extension for doing symbolic computations in a Mathematica-like environment.
For Newbies
- The Online Python Tutor is a great little learning tool for seeing inside of Python programs.
- Start here if you are a raw beginner.
- The Python Rag magazine has nice features for beginners and for advanced users interested in expanding their pythonic prowess.
- Get How to Think Like a Computer Scientist: Learning with Python; this will get you started programming and started thinking like a computer scientist. It's open-source and FREE.
- Get The Handbook, a 43 page introduction to Python for beginners. It uses the IDLE Integrated Development Environment, which is a snap for beginners on 'doze boxes.
- MIT intro course in Python.
- MIT's 6.00 introductory programming course uses Python.
More Advanced Fare
- The Google Python Class requires some knowledge of a computer language. It's a nice resource for people in CS402 who have begun to pick up on Python. Here are all of the accompanying class materials.
- Dive into Python is a good introduction for those with a little programming experience. Or, if you already know some Python, it's a good way to boost your skills. This is a GPL freely available book.
- CMU Beginning Programming
- This Google Tech Talk was given on 21 Feb 2007. It discusses the inner workings of Python from an advanced standpoint.
Python Extensions
- SciPy hosts a suite of scientific programming tools for Python. If you are interested in numerical computing, get this! This has been ported to Python 3. A tutorial may be viewed here.
- Pygame is a GUI game framework for Python. The tutorial page has lots of materials to get you started.
- PyQt4 is a GUI framework for developing Python applications.
- WXPython is a GUI framework for Python.