Show HN: Easy to understand intro to Python

https://github.com/thewhitetulip/build-app-with-python-antitextbook

by thewhitetulip • 9 years ago

82 33 9 years ago

github.com

xapata7• 9 years ago

There are some factual errors in the introduction.

Python has been around for more than 30 years

The license says that development began in the early 90s.

The factual errors continue in the explanation of the language, such as describing a triple quote string as a multiline comment.

thewhitetulip14• 9 years ago

Python was conceived in the late 1980s[1] and its implementation was started in December 1989[2] by Guido van Rossum at CWI

I might have misstated. The idea was around more than 30yrs albeit the implementation has been for around 27yrs

triple quote string as a multiline comment.

Don't you use triple quoted string as a multi line comment? Then what do you use for multi line comment? I am curious.

iamd3vil• 9 years ago

Triple quoted string is just a way to write a string in multiple lines. There is no multi line comment in Python.

dotancohen• 9 years ago

String literals without assignment have no side effect, that is why you think of them as comments. They are however, not comments. They are parsed and interpreted just like any other string.

You might be familiar with the concept in Javascript, if you have ever put 'use strict' at the top of a JS file.

e12e• 9 years ago

Note that it is good practice to use "docstrings" in python:

    def demo():
      """I'm a demo. Maybe a few lines of
      doctests below.
      """
      return 42

You can now, for example in ipython do: help(demo) and get the demo.__doc__ back. See also doctests.

So no, they are not comments - they are part of the code -- but they are often used to comment on, and document the code.

docstrings pep: https://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0257/

docstring definition from the python docs: https://docs.python.org/3.5/glossary.html#term-docstring

doctest: https://docs.python.org/3.5/library/doctest.html?highlight=d...

xapata7• 9 years ago

There are no multiline comments. Guido has said that if you want to quickly comment multiple lines, use a good text editor.

xapata7• 9 years ago

30 years

You also claimed that Python 3 was written to fix 30-year-old mistakes. Python 3 has been around of a while now.

ChankeyPathak• 9 years ago

I have just started learning Python and I'm referring "Problem Solving with Algorithms and Data Structures using Python". Should I continue with that or refer something else?

thewhitetulip14• 9 years ago

I have never heard of that book, I am sorry. You can start with yhe Documentation, there is an official tutorial in it & it is pretty informative

czheo• 9 years ago

"Problem Solving" is a good reference for understanding algorithms and data structures. It uses Python but Python language is not its main focus. However, "Problem Solving" is one of the best places where I've learnt programming.

thewhitetulip14• 9 years ago

True, problem solving books would teach how to approach problmems but not the language itself.

jimnotgym• 9 years ago

Depends, are you a kickass Java dev looking to learn Python, or are looking to learn to code with Python as your first language? If the second what do you want to do with it? Automate some boring task or become a professional developer?

Sir_Cmpwn• 9 years ago

Strange to stylize Termux as TermUX here:

https://github.com/thewhitetulip/build-app-with-python-antit...

thewhitetulip14• 9 years ago

Fixed :-)

jamiesonbecker3• 9 years ago

It's clear that this represents a lot of work and it's wonderful that you've done this. My instinctive reaction is to correct minor issues, but please don't take negative comments as a lack of respect for what you've done... this is a tough audience, maybe the toughest. Keep up the great work!

thewhitetulip14• 9 years ago

I don't take any feedback the wrong way, if you find any mistake, I invite you to send a PR or raise an issue :-)

Thank you!

Show HN: Easy to understand intro to Python

Related Stories