The magazine of the Melbourne PC User Group Python Major Keary |
The Quick Python Book is described as "A guide to learning and effectively using the Python language".
Python, which has been around for some ten years, is an interpreted, interactive, object-oriented programming language that incorporates modules, exceptions, dynamic typing, and classes. The Python Web site (www.python.org) says, "Python combines remarkable power with very clear syntax. It has interfaces to many system calls and libraries, as well as to various window systems, and is extensible in C or C++. It is also usable as an extension language for applications that need a programmable interface. Finally, Python is portable: it runs on many brands of UNIX, on the Mac, and on PCs under Windows 9x, Windows NT, and OS/2".
If you have a working knowledge of some programming language - such as C++, Visual Basic, Java, or Perl - and want to learn Python, The Quick Python Book is a good place to start. Purchasers of the book have free access to a private Internet forum where they can ask for help from the author and other Python users. A support Web site carries the source code for examples used in the book.
An introductory chapter provides a comparison of languages (Python, Perl, Tcl/Tk, VB, C, C++, and Java) that is useful for deciding which is best for particular purposes. Python isn't the perfect solution to everything, but it has many advantages that are worth exploring. Another early chapter describes installation on various platforms, including Windows and Macintosh, and use of the Integrated Development Environment (IDLE) Python Shell window.
The rest of the book is a solid Python tutorial that uses plenty of example code. Extensive and detailed commentary and annotations accompany the code examples. Beginning with an overview and "the absolute basics" the text progresses through topics such as lists and tuples, strings, dictionaries, functions and procedures, modules, reading and writing files, exceptions, scripts, classes and object-oriented programming, and graphical user interfaces. Separate parts of the book deal with advanced language features (includes regular expressions), and advanced applications (includes using Python with COM and HTML), integration with Java Virtual Machine, and using Zope).
A thorough coverage of Python for those with a background in programming, this is a well written and well designed book.
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Daryl Harms and Kenneth McDonald: The Quick Python Book ISBN 1-884777-74-0 Published by Manning, 422 pp., RRP $89.95 incl. GST |
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Python and XML
One of the strengths of Python is its suitability as a language for the manipulation of XML. Apart from
the set of XML interfaces found in the Python standard library there are two XML-specific tools for Python,
PyXML and 4Suite; both are used throughout the book, which also contains information about
where to find them and installation. A very thorough coverage of Python for those with a background in
programming. This text has been written for programmers who understand Python and who want to apply it to
the development of XML applications. It sets out to explain the workings of XML and its associated
applications, such as XPath, XSLT, SAX, SOAP, and DOM . The first half of the book is about XML and how
XML-related applications fit into the scheme of things.
The second half discusses the application of Python. There is an overview of the Python Internet APIs,
building Web services with Python, and using Python to construct XML-based distributed systems. Extensive
use is made of well-annotated example code. Appendices contain information about installing Python and
Python tools, the Python DOM API, XML definitions, and notes on the Microsoft MSXML3.0 parser. A text for
professionals that uses a tutorial style to good effect. However, this is not a bare bones account of
step one, step two, and so on; the extensive and detailed discussions are designed to ensure the reader
grasps the principles and underlying concepts. As usual the typographic and design physical design are
of the highest standard.
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Christopher Jones and Kenneth McDonald The Quick Python BookISBN 1-884777-74-0 Published by Manning, 422 pp., RRP $89.89 incl. GST |
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Reprinted from the December 2002 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia
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