This page contains material of continuing interest to all students studying the Python language. It is the repository for term-invariant items, as opposed to the Current Classes page, which is term-specific. I am moving these items up out of the Current Classes page to eliminate duplication.
Get your Lappy Ready for My Classes
You will get an email notice you are in my classes. It will tell you to come here to this page and to do the installs on your lappy indicated here.
Get Ready to Use the Server
To connect to the server... Do these installs.
- If you use Windoze, download and install
puTTy Get the
.msifile for your system. Just about all of you should have 64 bit systems. The install is very straighforward. - Download and install the FileZilla Client. This will allow you to transfer files easily between your machine and the server.
Text Editor You will never submit a Word file in this class. You need a plain-text editor to code. Here are choices.
- VSCode is a really nice text editor. We are standardizing this choice for CS courses.
- Mac and Linux users can use vim. It's what I use.
Install Python
Go to The Python Site and install the latest version of Python 3 (Macs have 2.7 installed by default). Corey Schaeffer's video has complete instructions for Mac and then for Windoze at 5:50. Windoze users: Do not forget to check the update path box! The video will remind you to do this.
Learning Resources
Have this in your bookmarks This table will help you to navigate the offical Python documentation and provide you with supplementary learning resources.
| Selected Areas of the Official Python Documentation | |
|---|---|
| Item | Description |
| https://www.python.org | Main Python Site |
| https://docs.python.org/3/ | Python 3 Documentation |
| https://docs.python.org/3/library/functions.html#built-in-funcs | Python 3 built-in functions |
| https://docs.python.org/3/library/stdtypes.html | Python built-in Types. Learn about stuff like int and
str here. |
| https://docs.python.org/3/library/index.html | Python Standard Library Index Page |
| https://docs.python.org/3/py-modindex.html | Global Module Index. Learn about the contents of things you have imported. |
| Other Web Resources | |
| pythontutor | Click on this and see some magic. |
| Telusko's Beginner's Tutorial | Go to 13:00 to skip the instructions on installing. Variables are explained at 27:00. He speaks British English, so parens are brackets. |
| Net Ninjas | Net Ninja Python Tutorials Video 2 tells how to install Python on a Windoze machine and has links to instructions for Mac and Linux. |
| Bucky's Python 3 Play List | Bucky does a great job of explaining things. Expect eccentricity. |
| Corey Schaefer's YouTube Channel | This has a huge library of super-useful knowledge explained clearly. |
| Some Great VI tricks | Ramp up vi |