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

[John Velman]

Thanks to both Chris and Matt.  I've been thinking somewhat along the lines
Chris suggested, and will probably do that, or some kind of step by step.
Even thinking of looking into PyGames myself (in line behind a bunch of
other things -- it might come in front of learning OCaml).  And thanks to
Matt for the learnpython and codecademy links.

Barry's reference to the Coursea course looks particularly good, but the
timing may be bad, since it starts at the last month of the school year.

Thanks again,

John V.

On Sun, Apr 07, 2013 at 06:34:05AM -0500, Matt Ambrogi wrote:
> John,
> I agree with Chris, some setup/installation is required basically
> everywhere.  To get down to zero of that, you might have to look at some
> other online tools, as you might have seen when you were googling.  Two
> that could be worth a look are:   http://www.learnpython.org/    and
> http://www.codecademy.com/tracks/python   as they seem to check at least
> one of your boxes (get learning fast).
> 
> Offline, on my mac, the closest I get to your space (lightest weight, least
> setup/config, least ide learning required yet with some support) is a
> download of the free TextWrangler ide.  One can have it up and running
> quickly and be off and coding python.  It does nothing to help build games.
> 
> regards,  -Matt
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On Sat, Apr 6, 2013 at 7:13 PM, Chris Weisiger <cweisiger at msg.ucsf.edu>wrote:
> 
> > My recommendation would be to go with PyGame, but as you note this does
> > require some installation work. Unfortunately as soon as you start getting
> > into being a software developer, the kid gloves come off and you have to
> > learn a lot about how software works. I'm not aware of any one-stop
> > user-friendly installer that will get you up and running in Python with an
> > eye towards games. My best advice is to do the installation for him.
> >
> > -Chris
> >
> >
> > On Sat, Apr 6, 2013 at 4:22 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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