[Tutor] Programming Python (the book)

[Michael P. Reilly]

Bob Rea wrote
> 
> On Friday 11 May 2001 08:44 am, Rob Andrews wrote:
> > I just got a copy of Programming Python 2nd Edition by Mark Lutz (a
> > Useless Python contributor). My initial impression is that it's
> > going to be an outstanding text for learning more advanced use of
> > Python. If anyone has gotten the gist of the language itself, I
> > recommend it. It seems to be more *advanced tutorial* than
> > reference book, is 1300 pages long, and comes with a CD of
> > relatively current source files.
> 
> I am just learning Python. I looked at this book and it is indeed 
> advanced. I am reading the first edition and it is very fine at 
> teaching Python. I hope they keep it in print. It is too good to 
> lose. And I wish it could be updated as well.

There are a few different books that might be being discussed here. :)

Programming Python (1st ed., 900+ pp) came out around 1995; it was a BIG
book mostly because it didn't seem like there would be a lot of Python
books in the near future (and there weren't).  It covered a lot of ground
and wasn't really a reference book.  Many thought it was too... involved
for newcomers.  (I liked it, but then I was introduced to Python soon
after the book came out.. in fact, it was this book that got me involved.)

Learning Python (360+ pp) came out four years later as much for of an
introduction to Python.  A lot of people newer to Python liked it more.
It is still geared toward people who have some experience programming
(even scripting languages like Tcl and *shudder* Perl), altho I guess
some savy non-programmers could pick up the concepts well enough from
the book.

Programming Python (2nd ed., 1250+ pp) is a recent reworking of the
first (all three by Mark Lutz).  It is more geared to showing that ppl
(including newbies) can be developing larger projects with Python fairly
quickly ("quickly" being a relative term).  It has a lot of nice projects
and some useful apps coming out of it.

Up until I got Beazley's _Python Essential Reference_, I was using
Programming Python (1st ed.) as my major reference book (with a lot
of page-tabs).  It is still a very good book.

  -Arcege

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| Michael P. Reilly                | arcege@speakeasy.net              |