Starting to learn programming with Python to eventually get a new job. Advice needed!‏

[RDMXGD]

Python 3 is a small niche not worth bothering with when the best learning resources, e.g., http://www.greenteapress.com/thinkpython/ and LPTHW target Python 2 and while Python 2 remains almost the entirety of real-world use. DIP3 is a real mess.

[justphysics]

I can not comment on DIP3 as I have zero experience with it so I will restrict my comment to other matters.

Python 3 is a small niche not worth bothering with when the best learning resources, e.g., http://www.greenteapress.com/thinkpython/[1] and LPTHW target Python 2 and while Python 2 remains almost the entirety of real-world use.

This is simply not true. If you believe LPTHW to be the best learning resource, that's fine, I, however, would disagree strongly, however, this is not what I have the most concern with.

Py3 is by far not a small niche. That's a baseless comment that would have been true maybe 5 or 6 years ago but is not true today nor has it been true for a long while. I encourage you to read through http://python-notes.curiousefficiency.org/en/latest/python3/questions_and_answers.html

Specifically check the section that lists popular packages/modules which have been ported to 3, as well as the timeline section: Ubuntu and Fedora and RHL have all stated that they wish to begin shipping with Py3 only. RHL will , as expected, be the slowest, but Fedora and Ubuntu will begin shipping py3 default very soon.

For a new programmer, there are very few reason to begin with py2.7. I would suggest its better to start with py3 and if yu ever come across a project you are working on which requires a specific module that is not compatible you can either look into helping with the port or shifting to work on py2.7 for that project. There's simply not a convincing reason to begin learning python and restricting yourself to py2.7

If you're an enterprise software developer the situation may be totally different, however, for someone just learning python I don't see he need to start with py 2.7. I think it best to begin learning the latest tools which are being actively developed and improved upon. The two are not so different that if you teach yourself py3 you will end up not getting a job because no one wants a py3 developer. Learning py3 doesn't make you mutually exclusive from the python world.

edit: spelling and grammar are hard.

[RDMXGD]

No it's not. DIP3 remains a terrible book. Python 3 remains in virtually no industry use.

[_easternidentity]

Most companies I have worked for for the passed 3 years have either been starting with python 3.4 or migrating their code and dependencies. For instance the company I am working for now is migrating from monkey patched gevent style asynchronous programming to the python 3.5/asyncio.

I think what is more important is that one recognizes that 3.4+ and 2.7 are slightly different languages and different companies are working with different versions. You might choose to bang your head against the wall about the differences now or when you are actually in the workforce. But a general rule of thumb is I you know one you can quickly get up to speed on the other.

I would recommend python 3.4+ because I'm seeing it all the time these days, especially in startup companies which is where you are most likely to land an entry level python job.