[Tutor] Getting Started

[Alan Gauld]

On 17/12/13 19:47, Chris Acreman wrote:
> I have programming experience using Fortran, Pascal, Modula 2, and some
> training in C++.  My nephew told me about Python and it sounded
> intriguing. I downloaded Python 3.3.0 from this website (www.python.org
> <http://www.python.org>) and installed it with no apparent difficulty.

Good, that's a start.

But to go further we need to know which OS you are using? If you are on 
Windows I'd suggest fetching the version from Activestate.com instead.
It has a better IDE and more windows specific goodness built in. (The 
underlying Python stuff is identical, they just bolt on some goodies)

> To learn the language I bought a book from Amazon.com, /Python
> Programming for the Absolute Begin/ner by Michael Dawson.  The book said
> the program could be downloaded from a particular website,

If you tell us the website we might know where it's equivalent lives...

> Everything went well until I got to page 11 and the instruction “To save
> your program, Select File, Save As.”
> That is when I realized there are NO pull-down menus in the Python
> screen.

How are you running Python at the moment?
Is it just the command line interpreter? Or do you have some kind of GUI 
tool?

> What else do I need to do to make this version of Python an actually
> usable programming environment?

Python is usable with just Notepad and the interpreter.
And if you are on Linux you might find that simply opening three or four 
terminal windows is more productive than using an IDE.
But if you are on Windows you will likely prefer an IDE and there
are several to choose from depending on your preferred style.
(eg. If you are used to tools like VisualStudio or Eclipse then
you might want to install Eclipse and its Python add on.)

Most beginners get by using either IDLE (the default IDE on any 
platform) or Pythonwin on Windows.

> Elgin, TX

I used to live in Elgin, Scotland. Small world :-)


-- 
Alan G
Author of the Learn to Program web site
http://www.alan-g.me.uk/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/alangauldphotos