Command Windows

A cmd window in Windoze, a terminal in Linux, or a terminal in Mac will be referred to as a command window. Python can be run out of these.

Windoze users should watch Bucky's tutorials on using a cmd window and learn how to walk thoruogh their file systems using this device.

Mac and Linux users should watch my tutorial on using the terminal.

In both cases, you should watch these with a command window open. As you see new things, stop the video, and do a little experimenting and exploring. In this class you only really learn by doing.

The basic skill you need to have is to be able to navigate through your directories and to find the directory you are working in.

Getting a Command Window

For Windoze, type cmd in the search window in the lower left-hand corrner of your desktop. You will then be able to launch a command window.

For Mac, look in /Applications/Utilities for the terminal app. Drag it to your application dock. Then double-click on it.

To start Python up, type python at the prompt and hit enter

The appearance of your terminal window will likely be different. The >>> you see is Python's prompt. The presence of the prompt indicates Python is ready to do work.

Documentation Bookmark the Python Standard Types Documentation. This is an extremely valuable learning and reference tool. It is where we will begin our study of the Python type ecosystem.