By Mark Lutz, David Ascher
December 2003
Pages: 620
ISBN 10: 0-596-00281-5 |
ISBN 13: 9780596002817
(Average of 3 Customer Reviews)
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Learning Python, Second Edition, offers programmers a comprehensive learning tool for Python and object-oriented programming. Thoroughly updated, this guide introduces the basic elements of the latest release of Python 2.3 and covers new features, such as list comprehensions, nested scopes, and iterators/generators.
Full Description
Learning Python, Second Edition, offers programmers a comprehensive learning tool for Python and object-oriented programming. Thoroughly updated for the numerous language and class presentation changes that have taken place since the release of the first edition in 1999, this guide introduces the basic elements of the latest release of Python 2.3 and covers new features, such as list comprehensions, nested scopes, and iterators/generators.
Beyond language features, this edition of Learning Python also includes new context for less-experienced programmers, including fresh overviews of object-oriented programming and dynamic typing, new discussions of program launch and configuration options, new coverage of documentation sources, and more. There are also new use cases throughout to make the application of language features more concrete.
The first part of Learning Python gives programmers all the information they'll need to understand and construct programs in the Python language, including types, operators, statements, classes, functions, modules and exceptions. The authors then present more advanced material, showing how Python performs common tasks by offering real applications and the libraries available for those applications. Each chapter ends with a series of exercises that will test your Python skills and measure your understanding.
Learning Python, Second Edition is a self-paced book that allows readers to focus on the core Python language in depth. As you work through the book, you'll gain a deep and complete understanding of the Python language that will help you to understand the larger application-level examples that you'll encounter on your own. If you're interested in learning Python--and want to do so quickly and efficiently--then Learning Python, Second Edition is your best choice.
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Book details
Second Edition: December 2003
ISBN: 0-596-00281-5
Pages: 620
Average Customer Reviews: (Based on 3 Reviews)
Featured customer reviews
Learn Python. Need to have a CS degree beforehand., September 11 2006
No need to say: Python is a fantastic language. Its stringent and systematic concepts are really great. I'm really convinced from this language.
Though: Even though the user base is growing constantly, it is evident that it is yet far from being as sizeable as Perl's. And this may be the reason that this book has not the qualities of the "Learning Perl" counterpart.
It does present all the necessary properties of Python. It is comprehensive. But it is foremost useful for somebody who has solid computing science fundamentals. Somebody who has vast experience in programming and someone who is good in researching samples and solving problems in spite of little documentation.
The Python community - and especially the authors of this book - present the material from their point of view, but they fail to see the world from a beginner's perspective. They succeed to present the language in its entirety, but they fail to focus the aspect of usability. They are spare on simple examples.
This made this book a little hard to read and unusable for an introductory Python class. - In contrary to the Perl counterpart, used for a Perl beginners' course.
A Good Starter, July 12 2005
This book was my entry point into Python and I think that it is a very good one at that. The book covers many different aspects of Python, and once you have read it you can tackle any Python book around. The only problem with this book is that you come out of it with little real world knowledge or Python, e.g. what the different modules do or how to create basic GUI's so a bit more of that in there would be nice. Otherwise a very good read.
Learning Python, 2nd Edition Review, March 03 2004
I started reading with absolute ZERO knowledge of Python. I am almost half way through the book now. By now, i have tried most of the examples the book has to offer (as well as the one on their site). And here are my comments:
If you are getting started with Python (like me) - then this IS the book for u. Although nothing can beat the python manual, but this book brings in what the python manual doesnt - the experience of people who wrote it.The authors have used clear and lucid language with precise examples at places where they really matter. There's no "extra fat" anywhere.
The end effect has been that so far, i have been using Perl for most of my admin scripting tasks (on both, Windows and *NIX), but now the next ones will be slowly and steadily in Python.
Good job done guys ! En core !
for Pune Java User Group (PJUG)
Media reviews
"[Learning Python] is one of the best short introductions to the language available, and serves as an excellent groundwork for those just starting out. Watch out for how to integrate C/C++ code, how to use Jython (Java for Python), and which IDEs can help the most. For beginners who are just starting out, this is almost certainly the best book available, and at just £24.95 for 600 pages, it's hard to go wrong."
Rating: 9/10
--Linux Format, September 2004
"Truly, I can't find anything wrong with this book. I think this is the best Python book I have seen around...Highly recommended."
--Eugenia Loli-Queru, OSNews.com, July 2004
http://www.osnews.com/story.php?news_id=7764
"If you have been considering learning Python, now would be a great time since this new book is the perfect introductory text...['Learning Python, Second Edition'] is deep in information, well written, and a joy to read. For an experienced programmer who is just learning Python, it may be possible to thoroughly learn everything about the core language in one reading of this book." Rating: 10/10
--Slashdot, January 2004
http://books.slashdot.org/books/04/01/20/176200.shtml?tid=126&tid=156&tid=185
"The book does a great job of inspiring the reader. By the end of the book the reader is going to be itching to get their hands on a real problem to solve using the skills they would have picked up here. For the Python beginner this is a great place to start."
--Tech Book Report, February 2004
http://www.techbookreport.com/tbr0064.html
Reviews From the First Edition:
"If the language had manuals, they would undoubtedly be the texts from O'Reilly & Associates...'Learning Python' and 'Programming Python' are definitive treatments."
--Andrew Binstock, SD Times, May 15, 2003 http://www.sdtimes.com/cols/middlewatch.htm
"Get the O'Reilly book 'Learning Python' by Mark Lutz and David Ascher, which will give you a good feel for the language and get you started if you want to learn it."
--Jerry Pournell, Byte.com March 4, 2002
"Without exaggeration, without hyperbole, without unfounded adulation I can honestly say that this book is one of the best computer language books I have ever read! I read this book cover to cover without becoming bored or lost. In fact, I read the first 80 pages in one sitting. The authors include enough information to be complete without making the chapters unbearably long. The beautiful thing about this book is that the authors strike a near perfect balance between providing useful examples and detailed explanations. Whether you are an experienced computer programmer or a complete novice, this book is perfect for learning the Python language. I would also recommend this book as a text for a course in object-oriented programming. Mark Lutz and David Ascher allow the reader to have fun learning a new language. All computer books should strive to be as fun to read and informative as 'Learning Python'."
--Andrew Morrison, CedarLug, July 2001
"If you don't already know Python I strongly urge you to buy this book and spend a few valuable hours correcting that. I do not think you will be disappointed."
--Francis Glassborow, ACCU
"Lutz and Ascher do a great job of walking beginners through the language. Too often, the "Common Mistakes" sections in programming books amount to nothing more than weak chapter summaries, but this isn't the case with the "Gotchas" section at the end of each chapter. Taken together, they're probably my favorite aspect of the book, second only to the chapter on classes, which did more to help me wrap my head around object-oriented programming than all of the chapters on "how to try to simulate OOP in a language to which some OOP functionality was tacked on as an afterthought" to which I've subjected myself over the past few years combined. After all, one of Python's biggest draws inasfar as attracting developers (and definitely the reason that I spent a weekend camped out with a stack of Python books) is the fact that the language was designed from the ground up with OOP in mind...yes, I love the book."
--Brian Donovan, evolt.org, July 2001
