Learning Python using a book based on version 1.5

[James Stroud]

dogatemycomputer at gmail.com wrote:
> Greetings,
> 
> A friend of mine dropped off a copy of Sams Teach Yourself Python in
> 24 Hours published in 2000.  I skimmed the first couple of chapters
> looking for the interpreter version and the book was based on version
> Python version 1.5.
> 
> Is this book still relevant?   Should I toss it and look for something
> newer?
> 
> Any thoughts would be appreciated.
> 
> Best Regards,
> Dave
> 

If you want to make a decision based on a quorum, I would suggest to not 
bother with that book. Yes the SAMS TY books are usually great 
(especially anything Laura Lemay), but you if you use a 1.5 book, you 
will be learning some stuff you will *need* to unlearn at the expense of 
learning things you should know.

I think the online tutorial is the way to go, or the newest Learning 
Python from Lutz. After that, check out TPIP (Mertz) or the Programming 
Python book from Lutz (for a global-esque view of the python world). 
Maybe even think about the Cookbook (ed. Martelli).

Dive-Into-Python starts with one of those "Don't worry about what all 
this means" examples, which I tend to hate and so I never got passed the 
first example--it may get better as you go judging from all of its 
proponents.

James