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

[Chris Barker - NOAA Federal]

I'd second a couple others posting on this thread to set up the
environment for your friend if need be. I think it's a much better
idea to choose what tools, libraries, etc he should learn from by
criteria other than "it comes with python out of the box".

A couple specific suggestions:

There have recently been published a couple different book that teach
Python to kids. I haven't looked closely at any of them but they've
been pretty well reviewed:

Snake Wrangling for Kids

Python for Kids - A Playful Introduction to Programming

Hello World!: Computer Programming for Kids and Other Beginners

If PyGame doesn't provide a nice complete binary installer for OS-X,
that might be a great contribution to the community.

As for IDE/Text editor -- definatly set him up with a real,
python-aware programmers editor -- Not TextEdit!

TextWrangler has less-than-idea python support, but it's a reasonable choice.

SublimeText2 is very nice (though only a trial version is available for free)

PyCharm has free "class room" and "Open Source" licenses that may be
applicable here.

-Chris


-- 

Christopher Barker, Ph.D.
Oceanographer

Emergency Response Division
NOAA/NOS/OR&R            (206) 526-6959   voice
7600 Sand Point Way NE   (206) 526-6329   fax
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Chris.Barker at noaa.gov