New Arrival to Python

[Luis M. Gonzalez]

Windows Apps:
Since you said "professional looking" applications, I assume you mean
graphical interfaces (windows - GUI):
If so, I recomend PythonCard  ( http://pythoncard.sourceforge.net/ ).
It is very easy to use, very similar to Visual Basic or Delphi (drag
and drop widgets on a form...).

Web Development:
An excellent choice for simple (and complex, but easy) web development
in Python is Karrigell ( http://pythoncard.sourceforge.net/ ). It is
not an IDE, but a web framework. The coding can de made with the
standard IDLE or simply notepad.

Books:
Learning Python 2nd Edition. Very good and complete introduction to
python.

Online resources:
A byte of Python (google this)
Dive into Python (for more experienced programmers)

Hope this helps...
Luis