Help for beginner

[Michael P. Reilly]

Daniel Faulkner <m01ymu00 at cwcom.net> wrote:
: Chuck & Amy Hoskins wrote:

:> I just flat out need to learn how to use Python.  I am really interested in
:> getting into programming and I don't find many sites to help out the common
:> Moron (myself in this case).  Please help!!!
:>
:> Chuck

: This is about the best choice you could of made as Python is a very easy
: language but I suppose this is why you decided to use Python well first down
: load python from www.python.org (use version1.5.2b2 as this includes Tkinter,
: graphical interface)

Just a note: you should download version 1.5.2, not 1.5.2b2 which is a
beta version.  Python 1.5.2 was released 7 weeks ago (April 13th).  All
releases of Python include Tkinter, but none include Tcl/Tk (but there
are links to download that as well).

: and read through the tutorial and just start creating some programs as a
: project and if you come into any problems just ask some one at the python
: newsgroup.
:  The graphical part is some thing not to use at the beginning (also there is
: not proper manual for it but there is a survival manual at the python home page
: some where) but do look at some of the code used in example programs. To show
: you what Python does try downloading grail from
: http://monty.cnri.reston.va.us/grail/ and pysol
: which you will find some where. There is a quick tutorial at
: http://www.troubleshooters.com/codecorn/python/pptut.htm
: I hope this helps if you want any help feel free to email me (even though i
: have only a few months of experience)

There is also the http://www.python.org/Html.html which has a number of
links to useful beginner information.  Two mailing lists exist for people
learning Python as well: python-help (help at python.org) and the tutor
mailing list (http://www.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor).

The book _Programming Python_ contains a good lengthy discussion on using
Tkinter.  And Aaron Watters' _Internet Programming with Python_ explains
another Python windowing system, WPY.  Both are very good books but
are a little dated.  _Learning Python_ is more up-to-date.

  -Arcege