Beginning Python: From Novice to Professional, Second Edition (Beginning from Novice to Professional) | 
 enlarge | Author: Magnus Lie Hetland
Publisher: Apress
Category: Book
List Price: $44.99
Buy New: $21.00
You Save: $23.99 (53%)
New (25) Used (8) from $21.00
Avg. Customer Rating:  3 reviews
Sales Rank: 80150
Media: Paperback
Edition: 2
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 688
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2.4
Dimensions (in): 9.2 x 6.9 x 1.5
ISBN: 1590599829
Dewey Decimal Number: 005
EAN: 9781590599822
ASIN: 1590599829
Publication Date: September 8, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Condition: New. No dust jacket as issued. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 688 p. Audience: General/trade.
|
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Gain a fundamental understanding of Python’s syntax and features with the second edition of Beginning Python, an up–to–date introduction and practical reference. Covering a wide array of Python–related programming topics, including addressing language internals, database integration, network programming, and web services, you’ll be guided by sound development principles. Ten accompanying projects will ensure you can get your hands dirty in no time. Updated to reflect the latest in Python programming paradigms and several of the most crucial features found in the forthcoming Python 3.0 (otherwise known as Python 3000), advanced topics, such as extending Python and packaging/distributing Python applications, are also covered. What you’ll learn - Become a proficient Python programmer by following along with a friendly, practical guide to the language’s key features.
- Write code faster by learning how to take advantage of advanced features such as magic methods, exceptions, and abstraction.
- Gain insight into modern Python programming paradigms including testing, documentation, packaging, and distribution.
- Learn by following along with ten interesting projects, including a P2P file–sharing application, chat client, video game, remote text editor, and more. Complete, downloadable code is provided for each project!
Who is this book for? Programmers, novice and otherwise, seeking a comprehensive introduction to the Python programming language. About the Apress Beginning Series The Beginning series from Apress is the right choice to get the information you need to land that crucial entry–level job. These books will teach you a standard and important technology from the ground up because they are explicitly designed to take you from “novice to professional.” You’ll start your journey by seeing what you need to know?but without needless theory and filler. You’ll build your skill set by learning how to put together real–world projects step by step. So whether your goal is your next career challenge or a new learning opportunity, the Beginning series from Apress will take you there?it is your trusted guide through unfamiliar territory!
|
| Customer Reviews:
 Very readable, and reasonable... November 17, 2008
I admit it. I really like Python as a programming language. So there. :-)
I think that Magnus has a very reasonable approach to presenting Python as a programming language. The real benefit to this book, however, is the collection of projects, and the way in which they are presented. Each project chapter is presented using the following template:
- What's the problem
- Useful tools
- Preparations
- First implementation
- Second implementation
...
- Putting it all together
- Further exploration
Far too many programming books present the "final" code in all its "glory" with no indication to the reader that it took multiple iterations to get to the code that was presented.
Yes, this takes a bit more room, but for those to whom programming is new, it is a very valuable technique. It is really important for programmers to realize that the first draft, or attempt, doesn't have to (and will almost never) be right, or complete.
Thanks
Magnus!
 A Great Intro October 17, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Mangnus Hetland's book was my intro to the python world. He strikes a balance between being tutorial for a programmer with shaky feet to being empowering by giving insights into software development ideas for bigger projects. Speaking of those, not only does he enrich the book with a tour of the object oriented and pattern filled language. To show these pieces in practice, he offers multiple practical project pieces (parsing markups like html/xml, building GUIs, erecting a web service) that make a rookie feel good to see working. And he does so with iterative programming, showing a simple implementation and then a more filled in one, as is natural for a programmer to go through without feeling overwhelmed. Throughout the book he throws all sorts of wisdom from the various hats that he wears, (teacher, developer and Pythonista...). I credit a lot to him the scripts I have running on production servers.
 There are better books and they're free! October 3, 2008
4 out of 9 found this review helpful
To summarize, too cumbersome and rather difficult to find the exact information you are looking for. Magnus Hetland tries to be funny and assumes that it makes the book more readable. Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth. I'd rather have a serious book with all the information accessible, rather than something which reads like a boring college lecture. This book does not address the needs of experienced programmers in other languages who want to shift to Python(like myself), and is way too advanced for a beginner. That said, the only interesting things in the book are the projects described at the end.
In place of Hetland's book, I'd recommend other books like the freely downloadable Python programming book in the "Thinking like a Computer Scientist" series by Green Tea Press. Besides this, there are also many websites which teach Python programming for free. Why buy a bad book?
|
|
|
