Python book for a non-programmer

[Simon Brunning]

I have a non-programming friend who wants to learn Python. It's been
so long since I've been in her shoes that I don't feel qualified to
judge the books aimed at people in her situation. I know of two such
books:

<http://www.freenetpages.co.uk/hp/alan.gauld/>
<http://www.ibiblio.org/obp/thinkCSpy/>

Any recommendations, or otherwise?

--
Cheers,
Simon B,
si***@brunningonline.net,
http://www.brunningonline.net/simon/blog/

[lbolognini]

Simon Brunning wrote:

I have a non-programming friend who wants to learn Python. It's been
so long since I've been in her shoes that I don't feel qualified to
judge the books aimed at people in her situation. I know of two such
books:

These are not books but a very good intro to programming in general
(http://hetland.org/python/instant-hacking.php) and to Python basics
(http://hetland.org/python/instant-python.php).

I also liked A Byte of Python which, instead, is a full book:
http://www.byteofpython.info/

Lorenzo

[shane.mitchell]

http://www.python.org/doc/Intros.html

and two great texts when she has covered the basics are:

http://diveintopython.org/

http://www.mindview.net/Books/TIPython

[BartlebyScrivener]

Simon Brunning wrote:

I have a non-programming friend who wants to learn Python. It's been
so long since I've been in her shoes that I don't feel qualified to
judge the books aimed at people in her situation. I know of two such
books:

<http://www.freenetpages.co.uk/hp/alan.gauld/>
<http://www.ibiblio.org/obp/thinkCSpy/>

Any recommendations, or otherwise?

--
Cheers,
Simon B,
si***@brunningonline.net,
http://www.brunningonline.net/simon/blog/

If you want real (dead-tree) books, you will find Chris Fehily's Visual
Quickstart Guide recommended by others here (though it's ageing -
2002). I'm about 2/3 through and it's been great for me:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/as...icharddooling/

And a brand new one which I just ordered: Beginning Python (Programmer
To Programmer) which despite the title has a great intro to programming
before it quickly accelerates:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/as...icharddooling/

Cheers,

bs

[Simon Brunning]

On 25 Nov 2005 03:23:33 -0800, sh************@gmail.com
<sh************@gmail.com> wrote:

http://www.python.org/doc/Intros.html

and two great texts when she has covered the basics are:

http://diveintopython.org/

http://www.mindview.net/Books/TIPython

I wouldn't have thought either of those was suitable for a
non-programmer. Great for cross-trainers, yes, but neither is intended
as a programming tutorial.

--
Cheers,
Simon B,
si***@brunningonline.net,
http://www.brunningonline.net/simon/blog/

[Luis M. Gonzalez]

Read my reply here from another thread:
http://groups.google.com/group/comp.lang.python/browse_thread/thread/25aada3c22ce6e66/cc69fd0c78384e5b?q=luis+cogliati's&rnum=1#cc69fd0c 78384e5b

[Shane]

Simon Brunning wrote:

I wouldn't have thought either of those was suitable for a
non-programmer. Great for cross-trainers, yes, but neither is intended
as a programming tutorial.

I agree, I just thought that the other replies had provided more than
enough resources to cover the basics, so I was just suggesting some
material that could be used when the basics had been absorbed.

Sorry about the confusion.

[Kent Johnson]

Simon Brunning wrote:

I have a non-programming friend who wants to learn Python. It's been
so long since I've been in her shoes that I don't feel qualified to
judge the books aimed at people in her situation.

Python Programming for the absolute beginner
http://premierpressbooks.com/ptr_det...9200%2D073%2D8

Python Programming: An Introduction to Computer Science
http://www.fbeedle.com/99-6.html

And the Introductory Books page in the wiki lists many:
http://wiki.python.org/moin/IntroductoryBooks

Kent

[Steve]

I recommend "The Quick Python Book" by Daryl Harms. What makes it
different from all other introductory books is that it is actually
*readable*. You can just sit down and read it like a novel and enjoy
it.