1:Introduction to Python.; 2: Conditional Logic/Loops.; 3: Lists and Dictionaries.; 4: Regular Expressions.; 5: Working with Files.; 6: JSON andXML.; 7: Graphics and Data Visualization.; 8: Custom Classes inPython.; 9: Miscellaneous Topics.; 10: Introduction to Jython.
Campesato Oswald :
Oswald Campesato (San Francisco, CA) is an adjunct instructor at UC-Santa Clara and specializes in Deep Learning, Java, Android, TensorFlow, and NLP. He is the author/co-author of over twenty-five books including TensorFlow 2 Pocket Primer, Python 3 for Machine Learning, and the NLP Using R Pocket Primer (all Mercury Learning and Information).
Primarily for self-directed learners who want to learn Python, this
book and DVD serves as a starting point for deeper exploration of
Python programming. Includes source code and tutorial videos;
provides a solid introduction to Python via complete code samples;
contains a chapter devoted to Jython; and includes latest Python
developments.
Primarily for self-learners, Campesato explains the basics of the
Python software. Readers will have an easier time the more
background they have with other scripting languages and other
programming languages, he says. He covers conditional logic, loops,
and functions; Python collections; regular expressions; files and
streams; working with JSON and XML; data visualization and
graphics; built-in functions and custom classics; Python and
databases; and miscellaneous topics
There are three good primers in Python. The classic Learning Python
by Mark Lutz, Zed Shaw's opinionated set of learning exercises, and
for the complete novice, Think in Python. While all three are good
reads, they all have specific limitations. Lutz's book is 1600
pages(!), Shaw's book teaches by assigning numerous small projects,
and the Think volume is truly aimed at non-programmers. The Python
Pocket Primer fills the yawning need for a concise guide written
for programmers who need to get up to speed quickly on the
language. It is supremely hands-on and wastes little time on
non-essentials: From the opening chapter on setting up an
environment, it speeds along with topic after topic explained
clearly with supporting code and examples from the REPL. By page
60, you're into Python collections; by page 100, you've covered
file handling; by page 140, you've worked with JSON. The remaining
50 pages cover more-involved topics such as working with databases
and even some minimal concurrency.The only missing topic is the set
of considerations around building large projects in Python. Given
that this book is a primer, though, this omission seems entirely
reasonable. Unlike other books that teach languages via the code
snippets and REPL/console listings, this book seems to get the
balance between explanation and demo exactly right. As a result,
you can cruise along and quickly get to the point of using Python
ably. The good explanations and the care with which they build
successively on each other mean that it's comparatively easy to
retain just-learned material as you push forward into new topics.In
sum, I think this unassuming little book is one of the fastest ways
of getting up-to-speed in Python...(I)t's truly a bargain.
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