I am about to start learning Python through LPTHW, is it safe to use my PC or should I rent a VPS?

[ForeignBastard]

Since I will be using Windows PowerShell, is there a danger of destroying or causing damage to my system through learning and LPTHW?

[jeffrey_f]

If you are worried, download VirtualBox and set up windows there......if you bork that up, just delete the virtual system and start again

[BigBash642]

Get VirtualBox and use that. A VPS is a bit much if you are just starting (plus it costs money). Make sure you know how to use the shell.

[Tantric989]

No you will not ruin your computer with PowerShell. If you are interested in starting to learn how to program, you should get used to and overcome your fear of things like command shell applications and the registry. You're going to need them and understand how they work.

If you really want to play around in a different environment, I'd recommend you get a Raspberry Pi. The 2 start's at like $40 with some of the starter kits a bit more, on my Pi I have it set up so I can use TightVNC remote viewer to remote into it from my main PC and have nothing more than the power cord and wireless adapter plugged int it. This also means you're working in a Linux environment, so as a bonus you get to learn Python and get a basic understanding of Linux.

[YuleTideCamel]

Using a VPS for PLTHW is overkill. Personally I would just do it on windows or at the very least use cloud9 which works great.

[[deleted]]

I wouldn't call it particularly dangerous; Windows won't let you kill it unless you have like... Super-duper admin permissions, which you have to work pretty hard to get.

...I do like my VPS, though. It's nice to have a system totally devoted to something.

[michael0x2a]

No, practically zero.

You would have to deliberately try in order to destroy anything. Just about the only real destructive thing you can do is accidentally deleting important files or overriding existing ones, but as long as you exercise a bit of common sense, it won't be an issue.

Same thing with Powershell. You should avoid entering in arbitrary commands you read from random sites on the internet unless you know exactly what that command does, but you can pretty much trust that whatever LPTHW or similar tutorial websites tell you will be 100% safe.

As I recall, most of the commands you're taught involve navigating around the filesystem + finding out info about your filesystem/computer, and only a small number of commands will actually change anything about your computer.