Beginning to learn python...help needed!

[Martyn Quick]

I'm just beginning to learn Python.  I've done a little programming before
(so I'm quite happy with manipulating lists and using for/while loops,
etc.), but I'm having trouble understanding the "Object Oriented" part of
the programming.  Can anyone give some advice when is the right time to
use a class, as opposed to just using the def command?

I'm also getting nowhere with Tkinter.  I tried to look at the Tkinter
tutorial which can be downloaded from python.org, but found that it went
far to fast without nearly enough explanation.  I've seen that wxPython is
an alternative, but someone said that there was less documentation
available for that.  Given what I've found with the documentation for
Tkinter, this comment puts me off slightly.  Can anyone point me in the
direction of detailed info on an appropriate GUI?  (Am I right in thinking
that the reason I'm having trouble with Tkinter is that the Object
Orientedness is more apparent early on?)

Apologies for writing a rather long and rambly message!

Thanks,

Martyn

P.S. I cannot afford to buy a book on the subject - I'm a rather junior
academic in the UK and don't get paid very highly!!!

--------------------------------------------------------
Dr. Martyn Quick  (Research Fellow in Pure Mathematics)
University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK.
http://www.mat.bham.ac.uk/M.R.Quick