Newbie needs Help(sorry)

[Alex Martelli]

"Patio87" <patio87 at aol.com> wrote in message
news:20010830223410.13049.00000310 at mb-bg.aol.com...
> I was wondering how I can scan my computer for my IP address in python

Note that, in general, a computer need not have just ONE IP address.
Roughly, an IP address corresponds to a network *interface* -- but
it's also possible to have more than one address on an interface (so
called "IP aliasing").  To make sure you get at _all_ IP addresses
of your computer will need platform-specific techniques (assuming
your userid has the permission to access that information).  Scanning
the text output by such system-specific programs as ipconfig on Win32
machines and ifconfig on Unix-like machines may be the simplest way.

> If someone could tell me how to do that it would be very appreciated and
im
> just 14 and still learning the languge so be easy please.
>
>  I was also wondering how people make all those programs that scan
computers
> for information and stuff. Because I cant find anything like that I dont
know
> where to lear to do that stuff?

Before dealing with programs, it's best to get an overall picture
of the subject.  "Hacking Exposed", 2nd edition (see the book's URL,
http://www.hackingexposed.com/) is an easy to read introduction (I
think a 3rd edition is due soon, and the Linux-specific edition may
be more updated if you do know something about Linux).  And before
all the mirrors of +Fravia's works get around to respecting his
request to cease operating, you might want to use Google to locate
them and grab their contents -- one day you might be interested
in some part of that material.  Then, you need a good grounding in
TCP/IP and related protocols -- while costly, Stevens' "TCP/IP
Illustrated", first volume, is non-pareil, and his "Unix Network
Programming", second edition, volume 1, is also superb (I think
all of Stevens' books were masterpieces, and that we all lost a
great author when he passed away).

Once you do know this stuff, Python can help you deal with it,
of course -- but, Python can't *teach* you how TCP/IP works, how
crackers of various kinds operate (so you can ward against their
wiles, one hopes), and so on, anywhere as well as good books can.


Alex