I envy newbies

[jam]

On Thu, Jul 15, 1999 at 02:20:33PM -0500, mary jeanette wrote:
> 
> I decided to learn python because I heard it was a very easy language to
> learn. So I downloaded it and bought a couple of very expensive
> paperback books from o'reilly only to discover that they are written for
> unix. In other words, typing in the examples from the book into the
> interpretor only yields various syntax errors. I have no idea what I am
> supposed to change in order to make the examples work, and apparently
> there is nowhere to turn in order to find out. Q: Am I supposed to know
> DOS as a prerequisite? The idea of having to learn DOS is appalling.
> Should I try partitioning my hard drive and installing Linux or freeBSD?
> Perhaps I should learn Perl instead, I have seen books on Perl written
> for Win32 systems.   Thanks for your advice.
> 

your post appears to be begging for an argument, so I shall refuse to give
you one. 

pick the language that best suits your purposes, and look before you leap.
if perl or visual basic does that for you, then go for it. those of us that
'get it' are just fine over here, thank you.

the term 'syntax error' is commonly used to describe typographical errors,
and indicates something that *should* be independent of operating system.
complaining that you spent a lot of money on books and then noting 'syntax
errors' with the examples in them doesn't help anyone help you learn the
language or how to program, in my humble opinion. 

if you truly feel you paid too much for the python books, go back to the
retailer you purchased them from and ask *why* the cost is so high-- visit
sites on the internet and shop for discounted prices if a traditional 'brick
and mortar' establishment isn't giving you good customer service.

no, you should not need to know DOS as a prerequisite to learning python
(though knowing multiple operating environments could not be considered a
detriment). it was developed in a unix environment, and a win32 port has
been established, along with a version of the interpreter implemented in
java, and I believe there is a DOS specific port as well.

I have not (yet) purchased the o'reilly books you mention, but I am fairly
certain the author will make every effort to own up to any mistakes in the
code or the text that might lead to syntax errors-- did you check the
publishers web-site for updates?

as a rule of thumb: if your post can't pass the "you asshole" test, don't
bother hitting the send button lest you humiliate yourself in front of
a huge audience-- here's a hint: the post you sent out *did not*, in my
opinion, pass the 'you asshole' test. the python community (as with others
on the internet today) is driven (mostly) by mutual respect for one another
and *not* greed. you simply need to ask for help instead of demanding it,
and you will be given the answers you seek.

check <http://www.python.org/> for additional information.

best of luck.

regards,
J
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