[Tutor] starting from scratch.

[Remco Gerlich]

On  0, Steve Mallett <steve@opensourcedirectory.com> wrote:
> I've decided to take up programming and choosen to start with Python (after 
> some research).
> 
> One thing that is not terribly clear is if I should've started somewhere else 
> & let that lead me to Python.
> 
> Q's
> 1) I know this list is for beginners, but for scratch beginners?

Yep. Anyone who wants to learn Python or help others to learn it.

> 2) Will I benefit from starting with "Learning Python" from O'Reilly?

I don't know. It's a good book, but I think it's hard to read if you can't
program yet.

I point most people to Alan Gauld's web tutorial at
http://www.crosswinds.net/~agauld/ . He's active on this list, it's easier
on the list if most people use the same tutorial (if several people have
difficulty with something here, Alan can change it), and it's available as a
book now as well.

Other books I've heard good things about are Core Python Programming, the
Quick Python Book and Teach Yourself Python in 24 Hours. But I don't know
them myself.

> Someone told me to start with learning shell scripting, but I wonder if 
> that's not a bias'd opinion.

Nah. Shell scripting is weird in many ways, and anything you can use it for,
Python will be at least as good at. Maybe not quite as succint as shell
scripts, but Python will be a lot less cryptic.

> 3) Should I start somewhere else & lead up to Python?

No. Wouldn't know where :-).

-- 
Remco Gerlich