[Tutor] New to pythong

[Alan Gauld]

"Marc Tompkins" <marc.tompkins at gmail.com> wrote

> First of all, I mean no offense to the OP.  However, this question 
> comes up
> a lot on this list, and it always bugs me.  People decide they want 
> to learn
> Python, and then ask strangers to give them a reason to do it.

I know what you mean Marc but I don't think these beginners
are asking for a reason - they want to know how to programme.
They know that programmers can do all sorts of cool things
with computers. But the bsaic tutorials don't usually teach
you enough to know where to even start on wruiting a new
GUI based application or game. So where do you go after
you learn the basics? Remember these are often complete
beginners who have never used any kind of programming
language before. Its like learning the scales on a piano,
now how do I learn a tune?

> My advice to all potential Pythonistas who want to learn on their 
> own: think
> of a problem you need to solve, or a cool game you've wanted to 
> implement,
> or a tool you want but don't have.

I agree this is best. Provided the expectation level is kept in check.
For example if someone decided to write a WYSIWYG desktop
publishing programme as a first step after doing my tutor they would
very soon get discouraged and give up. But if they took a simple
home brewed lay-out language and translated it into HTML, maybe
based on CSS stylesheets then its probably within their grasp.

> In my own case, I had a project I needed to do (printing mailing
> labels from records in an old proprietary database)
> that was going to suck if I used only the tools I already had.

And that' a good exercise. But a beginner usually isn't even
sure if Python could tackle such a project or where to start.

> If you don't have a professional task that you could apply Python 
> to, just
> look around your environment for a day or so looking for problems to 
> solve.

Again good advice if you have even a basic idea of what programming
can achieve. But you need that concept first. It' one reason that 
overly
basic or overly theoretical programming tutorials can lead to 
problems.
Its also why in my tutor I provide several suggested projects and
enhancements to the examples I give. Plus I try to introduce the
practical elements into the examples I give rather than using,
for example, purely math based ones. (And yes I know most math
problems have practical applications, but not for most amateurs!)

In the meantime lets encourage these beginners to think up their
own problems but at the same time give them ideas as for typical
tasks that are within their reach.

-- 
Alan Gauld
Author of the Learn to Program web site
http://www.freenetpages.co.uk/hp/alan.gauld