Introduction
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uick! Which programming language will get you up and running writ- ing applications on every popular platform around? Give up? Yes, it’s
Python. The amazing thing about Python is that you really can write an appli- cation on one platform and use it on every other platform that you need to support. Unlike the other programming languages that promised to provide platform independence, Python really does make that independence pos- sible. In this case, the promise is as good as the result you get.
Python emphasizes code readability and a concise syntax that lets you write applications using fewer lines of code than other programming languages require. In addition, because of the way Python works, you find it used in all sorts of fields that are filled with nonprogrammers. Some people view Python as a scripted language, but it really is so much more. (Chapter 18 provides you
with just an inkling of the occupations that rely on Python to make things work.)
- Knowing that an Application is a Form of Communication
- Defining What an Application Is
- Understanding Why Python is So Cool
- Installing Python
- Accessing Python on Your Machine
- Defining What an Application Is
- Helping humans speak to the computer
- Understanding Why Python is So Cool
- Unearthing the reasons for using Python
- Deciding how you can personally benefit from Python
- Discovering which organizations use Python
- Getting Your Own Copy of Python
- Talking the Talk
- Storing and Modifying Information
- Understanding Boolean values
- Working with Dates and Times
- Managing Information
- Working with Operators
- Understanding operator precedence
- Creating and Using Functions
- Using Help
- Closing the Command Line
- Loading and Running Existing Applications
- Adding Comments
- Installing Python
- Accessing Python on Your Machine
- Testing Your Installation
- Interacting with Python
- Using Python environment variables to your advantage
- Using Help
- Writing Your First Application
- Getting GUI help
- Creating the Application
- Running the Application
- Understanding the Integrated DeveLopment Environment (IDLE)
- Writing Your First Application
- Understanding operator precedence
- Creating and Using Functions
- Getting User Input
- Making Simple Decisions Using the if Statement
- Choosing Alternatives Using the if…else Statement
- Processing Data Using the for Statement
- Processing Data Using the while Statement
- Nesting Loop Statements
- Knowing Why Python Doesn’t Understand You
- Raising Exceptions
- Working with Operators
- Controlling How Python Views Data
- Getting GUI help
- Configuring IDLE
- Creating the Application
- Understanding the Use of Indentation
- Running the Application
- Loading and Running Existing Applications
- Closing IDLE
- Storing and Modifying Information
- Working with Dates and Times
- Defining the Essential Python Data Types
- Creating Code Groupings