[Pythonmac-SIG] Good way for beginner to get started with Python?

[John Velman]

Thanks, Barry.  This looks like just the right thing.  The only problem may
be the timing,since it starts about a month too soon relative the ending of
the school year.  But have sent the info for him to look into.

John V.


On Sat, Apr 06, 2013 at 07:54:29PM -0500, Barry McClendon wrote:
> John,
> 
> See if he might be interested in this course:
> https://www.coursera.org/course/interactivepython
> 
> Barry
> 
> On Apr 6, 2013, at 6:22 PM, John Velman <velman at cox.net> wrote:
> 
> > Reply-To: 
> > 
> > I'm looking for a way to get a bright (of course) high school student
> > started with Python.  He has a recent iMac. He is pretty computer literate,
> > and knows the names of some computer languages, but no experience in
> > programming, and little experience with text editing per se. He is
> > particularly interested in games. Is at a stage of trying to decide what he
> > is going to do in college, and was asking me about getting started with
> > computer programming.
> > 
> > I recommend Python as a good starting language. It would be nice if there
> > was a simple IDE that works with python without a lot of setting up
> > options, moving things around in the file system, and so on. I don't want
> > to throw him into Vim or Emacs.
> > 
> > I'd like him to get to something interesting (GUI, very simple games) soon.
> > I showed him some examples from Pythonista on my iPad, and he was impressed
> > at what could be done in ~ 100 lines of Python.
> > 
> > For now, it would be really nice if he could work with the Python already
> > on his iMac, and minimal other setup. Maybe the TKInter that comes with the
> > iMac would also be a place to start GUI. It looks like installing
> > TextWrangler might be a good choice for an editor.  Or just plain TextEdit?
> > 
> > I've looked at PyGames, and done a little other googling, and every place
> > I've looked says install this, install that, use Home Brew, use Ports,
> > don't use Ports, be sure and set such and such an option, be sure and get a
> > version greater than x.y...Things that I might do, but I've been at this,
> > at least part time, more or less forever.
> > 
> > We need something than one can just do, and then learn while doing. Well,
> > something Mac like.  
> > 
> > (I myself haven't used Python much for a while, am trying to develop one
> > good app in Objective C on an hour or so a day.  I use the Xcode IDE, Vim
> > outside of Xcode. Am personally a dynasaur, am mailing this via Mutt.)
> > 
> > Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
> > 
> > John V.
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