How to Learn: More Humility, Less Video

http://thejoeconwayblog.wordpress.com/2012/06/22/advice-on-learning/

by jcizzle • 14 years ago

41 12 14 years ago

thejoeconwayblog.wordpress.com

Does anyone have suggestions for a "guide book" to learn Python? Specifically - best practices, design patterns, rationale for implementations, preferred data structures, even the history of the platform.

SkyMarshal• 14 years ago

This won't have everything you're looking for, but the Python docs are a good start:

http://docs.python.org/

The Howto section has several gems:

http://docs.python.org/howto/index.html

davegauer• 14 years ago

I recognize the irony of this, given the 'Less Video' portion of the parent article[1]. But my first introduction to using Python in a truly 'Pythonic' way was Peter Norvig's free CS212 class on Udacity. (It will be starting up again June 25th).

Until then, I had just been translating my old habits into Python.

[1] Also, I'm a huge fan of learning languages from 'guide books,' as recommended by the parent article.

alisey• 14 years ago

That was an amazing course and my first experience when video lectures didn't suck. I learned Python without even trying, as a by-product of solving interesting problems.

nsxwolf3• 14 years ago

Same question, iOS development? And while we're at it, Grails?

jcizzle2• 14 years ago

Well I can certainly answer the iOS Development one with a shameless plug: http://www.amazon.com/iOS-Programming-Ranch-Edition-Guides/d...

DannoHung• 14 years ago

Dive into Python was pretty good. That was how I learned it.

I've heard Zed Shaw's Learn Python the Hard Way is good and I'm enjoying his book on C.

Just keep in mind that Python 2.X and Python 3.X are fairly different.

For that matter, Python 2.4 is way different compared to Python 2.7

jbee• 14 years ago

Nice article. The steps are basically how I approach learning a new language, and I imagine it's the same for most people -that is, if they are serious about making the language one of their 'languages of choice'.

And, while I agree video is terrible for learning a language, it can be excellent for abstract CS concepts. For example, an expert explaining the design and analysis of algorithms.

leak• 14 years ago

I can't tell you how much IRC has helped me over the years. The communities there can be so extremely helpful and motivating. Sometimes when learning something new, it's hard to know where you're getting stuck and having a community to chat with in real time makes such a huge difference.

How to Learn: More Humility, Less Video

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