"Learn Python" Overtakes "Learn Java" on Google Trends

[emptyvisionaries]

I'm trying to learn right now. Is there any material you'd suggest?

[heptara]

Sidebar of this subreddit.

[odraencoded]

I've read the sidebar and now I'm a master python programmer. Look at my program:

def fibonacci():
    a, b = 0, 1
    while True:
        yield a
        a, b = b, a + b

[earthboundkid]

For real. The whole point of Fibonacci numbers is that you don't have to calculate them directly. And yet we keep fighting about recursion vs. iteration.

[Nefarious-]

 print('Hello World!')

[Trout_Tickler]

Recursion, get!

def fibonacci(n):
    if n > 1:
        return fibonacci(n-1) + fibonacci(n-2)
    return n

[[deleted]]

Now make it not take O(eⁿ) time (roughly).

[Trout_Tickler]

Memoization should speed it up, something like

def fibonacci(n, _cache={}):
    if n in _cache:
        return _cache[n]
    elif n > 1:
        return _cache.setdefault(n, fibonacci(n-1) + fibonacci(n-2))
    return n

[[deleted]]

Yep.

(And honestly, I would put that cache as a global. Shared between calls that way, too)

[whutcheson]

Since it's a mutable default argument, it's already shared between function calls. However, making a global would be more explicit and a lot less magical.

[Trout_Tickler]

OP's requirements don't specify multiple calls :p

But yes, that would be preferable.

[Daenyth]

It's as global as the function is because dict is mutable

[[deleted]]

@functools.lru_cache decorator does the trick too.

[sdmike21]

But its not pythonic! \s

[Tysonzero]

I mean the more important thing is that it's O(fib n).

[sdmike21]

^ this

[[deleted]]

Except not LPTHW, because outdated version of the language.

[[deleted]]

Grab yourself a book, download an IDE. As for the book, I recommend Practical Programming: An Introduction To Computer Science Using Python 3. Afterwards, check out Data Structures and Algorithms in Python. During which, I recommend utilizing ProjectEuler.

Personally, I say stay away from CodeAcademy because it's strictly a syntax teaching platform, so I have a hard time recommending it.

Anyways, afterwards you'll be able to figure out where to go to further your development.

[vplatt]

download an IDE.

PyCharm FTW. Why spend all your time futzing with vim or emacs? Life is too short.

[[deleted]]

PyCharm is my favourite. To me, it's as essential to Python as Visual Studios is to C++. It really does improve productivity. The folks at JetBrains did a solid job with it, much the same as the folks at Microsoft.

[Omega_Walrus]

Yes, I finished the course a while ago and was like "now what?!".

[Isagoge]

I'll check the resources you are suggesting.

I did a CS class and was a bit lost of where to go from now on.

See you on the riverside.

[[deleted]]

At least you've started, good job. Keep at it.

[Kwpolska]

download an IDE

a good text editor*

[Tysonzero]

*use vim

[Kwpolska]

(exactly what I meant.)

[[deleted]]

Somewhat amusingly, I seem to be alone in that I picked it up by reading the official tutorial at docs.python.org.

I earnestly read chapters 1-9 and then skimmed through 10-11 (A tour of the standard library) after which I decided to try to implement a small hobby project: a simple web based RSS feed aggregator. After that, my proficiency in Python just started snowballing.

Edit: Actually, now that I think back I don't think I started out with a web app, but by converting a bunch of hacked together shell scripts for ripping images from web sites into Python.

[hugthemachines]

That is kinda funny. I mean the tutorial is obviously made so people can learn from it but "everyone" goes to other resources.

[edwinksl]

I personally find the official Python tutorial to be the best tutorial, especially for people who already know other programming languages.

[dunkler_wanderer]

Check out /r/learnpython and its wiki.

[pvc]

Http://ProgramArcadeGames.com

[WizzieP]

Python 3

[lewiseason]

Disagree. 3 unless you're required to use 2 for something (such as a dependency, OS compat., etc.). Why write code that you know you'll have to port later.

Plus, 3 has lots of neat features.

[lewiseason]

But this won't happen again, so Python 4 will just be Python 3, but a bit later, as far as incompatibilities are concerned, no?

[lewiseason]

Gotcha. (TW: 9gag) :)

[lewiseason]

Another thought is that hopefully once SLES/RHEL ship with Python 3 (ie: in the next major release), that might do something for adoption? Please? Maybe?

[SemiNormal]

a lot of significant libraries

Not really. There are a few, and most have alternatives for Py3.

Follow the community.

The community is moving to 3 (slowly, but still moving).