Entry

I'm new to Python, where should I start?

Can you give me an overview of the Python Documentation?

Do I need books to learn Python?

Is there Python documentation available in languages other than english?

Aug 10th, 2005 16:22
lpellis ellis, Chris Burkhardt, Joe Bloggs, unknown unknown, Nathan Wallace,

The handbook is part of the on-line documentation available at the
Python web site and with the Python installation -- and it's free.
You may not need to go to a bookstore if you peruse the following page:
  http://www.python.org/doc/
The tutorial is quite complete:
  http://www.python.org/doc/current/tut/tut.html
If you work through the tutorial, it should carry you pretty far along
in your quest.  I found it to be *quite* useful.
The Library Reference discusses the modules that ship with Python. 
  http://www.python.org/doc/current/lib/lib.html
The Language Reference is a bit more abstract, and *much* more dry.  
However, it does completely describe the core Python language
constructs, grammar and syntax.   It's often referred to as material 
for
"Language Lawyers."
  http://www.python.org/doc/current/ref/ref.html
I like the Module Index:
  http://www.python.org/doc/current/modindex.html
It allows you to jump straight to the module of your choice.
If you're using Win32 (as I do), then you may find the MS HTML Help 
version to be useful (it's my favorite).  If you use Win32, you might 
want to check out:
  http://www.orgmf.com.ar/condor/pytstuff.html
Best of all, these very complete works of non-fiction are FREE.... 
gotta 
love that!  
I own five Python books, but I still find myself referring back to the 
Python documentation regularly.
---
As one newbie to another, I can recommend
<http://www.idi.ntnu.no/~mlh/python/programming.html> for an
introduction to programming, and
<http://www.idi.ntnu.no/~mlh/python/instant.html> for a bit more on
Python. After that, you might want to look at
<http://starship.python.net/crew/amk/grimoire/html/> for a
'cookbook' of useful techniques. If none of these take your fancy,
there are other links at the python site -
<http://www.python.org/doc/Intros.html>.
If you have any questions look at the FAQs -
<http://www.python.org/doc/FAQ.html>
If you follow http://www.pythonlabs.com/ to
http://www.vex.net/parnassus/ and then choose the  
Info/Books/Tutorials 
link then Tutorials, you will get quite a few alternatives.
Also, have a look at:
http://www.networkcomputing.com/unixworld/tutorial/005/005.html
http://yhslug.tux.org/obp/thinkCS/thinkCSpy
The current numpy tutorial (supercedes the one that's cited on 
Parassus):
http://numpy.sourceforge.net/
Richard P. Muller's python short course:
http://www.wag.caltech.edu/home/rpm/python_course/
Konrad Hinsen's Python for Science tutorial
http://starship.python.net/crew/hinsen/
------------------
If you're searching documentation in a language other than english, 
check out ->
Non-English Python Resources
http://www.python.org/doc/NonEnglish.html
"Here are links to Python documents in languages other than English, 
including things like Python documentation translations, articles, and 
mailing lists."
Languages listed:
Bulgarian, Esperanto, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, 
Korean, Norwegian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish
---------------
A couple more tut's:
Try these:
http://dmoz.org/Computers/Programming/Languages/Python/Documentation_an
d
_Tutorials/
 http://www.honors.montana.edu/~jjc/easytut/easytut/
Also:
http://www.pycode.com/tutorials/
------------------
Mark Pilgrim's online book _Dive_Into_Python_ got me started:
http://diveintopython.org/