fwiw, I have a background in C and Perl, and had to learn Python for work. Read the ORA Learning Python book, which was ok, I spent time trying to relate Python to Perl (dict == hash, list == array, tuple == read-only list, etc,) and eventually just started hacking on things and have been relatively successful (or at least, I can write stuff that does what I want. ;)) I'm using Python 2.4, so I'm constantly at http://www.python.org/doc/2.4.4/lib/lib.html looking up things, which is very helpful. The basic syntax and starting to do things is pretty easy, the harder part is getting a grasp on the whole "everything's an object" and using that when writing your own code is harder. I tend to not like object orientation (various reasons), but you have to get at least somewhat into it w/ Python because you have no choice. On Mon, Aug 10, 2009 at 3:43 PM, Brian McLinden<brian.mclinden@gmail.com> wrote:

A thread for sharing by those with interest in or curiosity about Python.

For newbies like me, hackers tout the just out major revision of Allen Downey's classic “How to think like a computer scientist: Learning with Python.”  It's been retitled - “PYTHON FOR SOFTWARE DESIGN: How to Think Like a Computer Scientist.”

Buy at Amazon or read free -   http://www.greenteapress.com/thinkpython/

Favorable review - http://www.amazon.com/Python-Software-Design-Computer-Scientist/product-reviews/0521725968/ref=sr_1_1_cm_cr_acr_img?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1