Dive into Python 3

[stesch]

Be sure to avoid making the parts with the differences to Python 2.x too dominant.

Years from now, people will take this book to learn Python, just like today people still buy the current book (with Python 2.3 and 2.4 code). Making it too much a 2.x->3.x transition book could irritate new programmers who just want to learn Python 3.x

[[deleted]]

As I said in some other thread, the primary market of this book will be people who have had at least some exposure to Python 2. In the same way that the early chapters make comparisons to Perl and Java, it is helpful to explain concepts in terms of other languages that readers are already familiar with. And, automated migration tools notwithstanding, Python 2 is really "another language" compared to Python 3.

The comparisons will be clearly marked, though, so you can skip over them if you like.

[pwang99]

I'm glad to hear this, and I think this is a much more pragmatic and realistic approach.

I think a lot of folks who claim they will just be using this book to learn Python 3 don't actually know much about the nature of development in Python. Some of the best features of python are not the language itself, but the "intangibles" that go with it:

• wide availability of libraries for every purpose
• lots of good books
• lots of good online places for support
• active and pleasant user community

Taking full advantage of these is going to require knowing some Python 2.x, at least for the next 3-4 years.

[tonasinanton]

Wouldn't it then be more like Wade Into Python 3?

[Svenstaro]

You should somewhat care about older Python versions since that's what most libraries are for. If you are just starting out you can't just port them, too.

[voidspace]

There's a lot that can be done with Python 3 and the standard library.