How to Start

[James Stroud]

Michael R. Copeland wrote:
>    Yes, I could fire up the interactive mode and play with some 
> statements...but I consider that sort of thing for programming neophytes 
> or experimenting with specific issues. 

The interactive interpreter is *the fastest* way to learn, expert, 
novice, or somewhere in-between. Let me do a quick count of the number 
of instances I have running just on the machine I'm at right now...ok, 
only 1, but that's because I just switched over to a Mac at work and it 
doesn't support multiple desktops--yet. I basically test just about 
every idea I have in the interactive interpreter before I lay it down in 
a text file.

First, I want to develop a
> simple Windows application, and because of the plethora of "stuff" the 
> Python world offers, I don't know where to begin.

Pseudocode (~ python code).

>    For example, what basic, easy-to-use interface might I start with to 
> build a simple text file parsing and analysis program?  That is, I'd 
> like to start with a simple Windows shell that prompts for a file name, 
> processes it, and then displays some result.

#! /usr/bin/env python

def main():
   file_name = prompt_for_name()
   result = process(file_name)
   display(result)

def prompt_for_name():
   [fill in here]

[etc.]

>    I am certainly impressed with the apparent experience and openness of 
> the regular players here, but the discussions here (and in 
> c.l.p.announce) truly presume knowledge and experience with Python I 
> don't yet have.  Yes, for even a very experienced programmer, entering 
> the Python world is very daunting - but I want to get started.
>    Please advise.  TIA

Here's your recipe:

   1. begin coding until you hit a wall
   2. read official tutorial until you figure out a solution
   3. experiment in interactive interpreter
   4. goto 1.

I know this sounds obvious, but its the best way to jumpstart.

James