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Python For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech)) | 
| Authors: Stef Maruch, Aahz Maruch
Publisher: For Dummies
Category: Book
List Price: $29.99
Buy Used: $10.63
You Save: $19.36 (65%)
New (37) Used (12) from $10.63
Rating:  6 reviews
Sales Rank: 397917
Media: Paperback
Pages: 410
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.4
Dimensions (in): 9.2 x 7.4 x 0.9
ISBN: 0471778648
Dewey Decimal Number: 005.133
EAN: 9780471778646
ASIN: 0471778648
Publication Date: September 14, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Ships immediately! Great Shape! 2006 Paperback.
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Product Description
Python is one of the most powerful, easy-to-read programming languages around, but it does have its limitations. This general purpose, high-level language that can be extended and embedded is a smart option for many programming problems, but a poor solution to others. Python For Dummies is the quick-and-easy guide to getting the most out of this robust program. This hands-on book will show you everything you need to know about building programs, debugging code, and simplifying development, as well as defining what actions it can perform. You’ll wrap yourself around all of its advanced features and become an expert Python user in no time. This guide gives you the tools you need to: - Master basic elements and syntax
- Document, design, and debug programs
- Work with strings like a pro
- Direct a program with control structures
- Integrate integers, complex numbers, and modules
- Build lists, stacks, and queues
- Create an organized dictionary
- Handle functions, data, and namespace
- Construct applications with modules and packages
- Call, create, extend, and override classes
- Access the Internet to enhance your library
- Understand the new features of Python 2.5
Packed with critical idioms and great resources to maximize your productivity, Python For Dummies is the ultimate one-stop information guide. In a matter of minutes you’ll be familiar with Python’s building blocks, strings, dictionaries, and sets; and be on your way to writing the program that you’ve dreamed about!
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| Customer Reviews: Read 1 more reviews...
 And this is good for?.... May 10, 2008
Mathew A. Shember (Cupertino, CA United States)
I have read a couple dummies books and usually they are more of an introductory baby steps type of book. This was not the case. It feels they tried to offer more and it ended up coming across as babble.
I found myself getting bored at times. I can program in Perl and I started this book knowing I might be above the topics at times. I was looking to this book as an introduction to Python. The examples given were not as good as I would have liked. Overall, I don't think the presentation of topics were not good. For example, I thought two chapters on OOP was overkill for this type of book and probably should have been reduced to a chapter on the bigger things you may do.
I mention the examples again as I usually like to enter them for the fun of it. However, they really don't give a good feeling for the power of python.
I did like the spider example but it was lightly discussed.
The last two chapters I think were most useful for the links and other modules that were mentioned.
I should say glob was mentioned and I think the book should have talked about it more then just a passing mention.
So will I suggest this book? Probably not. It really depends on the person. I think it has to be a person that is between beginner and somebody who knows how to program.
Disappointing April 22, 2008
Sacha De Carlo (Boulder, CO)
I agree with some of the reviewers here, it is definitely disappointing to see a bad seed among the good "... for dummies" series. I have previous experience with programming languages, although this is not my everyday task. I got interested in Python and wanted the book to guide me through the basics. After reading the first 7-8 chapters I started asking myself whether I missed something in the previous ones, as I lost track (and interest) in the book.
I found the examples parsed in the chapters rather useless, and not practical. Since, I have found several useful on-line tutorials on www.python.org, where the user is taken through the chapters in a gradual, progressive way. The examples and exercises in a beginner's book should be based on what is learned in the previous chapters, giving the reader the idea that what is learned is put in practice, thus easily assimilated.
I don't recommend this book for a complete novice, as she/he will lose interest in Python programming very easily! This book has the advantage of presenting the main and most important features of the Python programming language, but it sues a more advanced audience.
The low rating is indeed due to the non adequacy of the book for beginners and for not following the good standards of the "...for dummies" successful series.
Sacha
Not for Dummies January 21, 2008
Scott A. Jacobson (Coeurd Alene, ID USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is a pretty decent book for those with some previous programming experience, but is definitely not for beginners (or Dummies) to programming. The first 2 chapters contain terms and concepts that assume an existing knowledge base.
Not for Dummies, Not for Anybody April 24, 2007
Timothy Denton (CA USA)
7 out of 15 found this review helpful
From the Dummies title I expected that this was for beginners. The book itself claims that it is suitable for someone who wrote a few Basic programs at one time. I wrote a few Basic programs and it is not. An example: On page 20 it starts a discussion that turns on objects. This is a somewhat advanced topic by most accounts, but the chapter that deals with objects is hundreds of pages later.
This book that claims that it is suitable for beginners, claims a few pages later that it is more of a reference, really. But it is very poorly organized, as the previous discussion illustrates. Strange stuff like the explaination of Scheme as a functional programming language: In Python for Dummies this is explained as using functions to write programs. Really! It;s that bad.
The only audience I can imagine for this book is people who know something about Python, but prefer reading about it to programming. Reading it, they could pick up a fe pieces of information they hadn't seen before.
 Good transition from Visual Basic January 27, 2007
C. Dunn (Austin, TX USA)
4 out of 8 found this review helpful
If you have programmed at the level of Visual Basic, or perhaps Excel macros, then this book is perfect for you. It's a pleasure to read -- with its variety of visual aids. In many books, the graphics just clutter the page. Not here. The concepts pop out at you and burn themselves into your memory.
I doubt you can become productive in Python any faster than with this book.
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