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.)
- Raising Exceptions
- Knowing Why Python Doesn’t Understand You
- Nesting Loop Statements
- Processing Data Using the while Statement
- Processing Data Using the for Statement
- Talking the Talk
- Loading and Running Existing Applications
- Adding Comments
- Running the Application
- Creating the Application
- Using Python environment variables to your advantage
- Using Help
- Writing Your First Application
- Getting GUI help
- Interacting with Python
- Testing Your Installation
- Accessing Python on Your Machine
- Installing Python
- Getting Your Own Copy of Python
- Discovering which organizations use Python
- Deciding how you can personally benefit from Python
- Helping humans speak to the computer
- Understanding Why Python is So Cool
- Unearthing the reasons for using Python
- Defining What an Application Is
- Understanding Why Python is So Cool
- Installing Python
- Accessing Python on Your Machine
- Defining What an Application Is
- Knowing that an Application is a Form of Communication
- Choosing Alternatives Using the if…else Statement
- Making Simple Decisions Using the if Statement
- Getting User Input
- Creating and Using Functions
- Understanding operator precedence
- Working with Operators
- Controlling How Python Views Data
- Working with Dates and Times
- Defining the Essential Python Data Types
- Storing and Modifying Information
- Running the Application
- Understanding the Use of Indentation
- Loading and Running Existing Applications
- Closing IDLE
- Understanding the Integrated DeveLopment Environment (IDLE)
- Configuring IDLE
- Writing Your First Application
- Getting GUI help
- Creating the Application
- Working with Operators
- Understanding operator precedence
- Creating and Using Functions
- Closing the Command Line
- Using Help
- Managing Information
- Working with Dates and Times
- Understanding Boolean values
- Storing and Modifying Information
- Creating Code Groupings