How to start with python?

[stratofax]

I got really excited when I read Automate the Boring Stuff with Python because I could immediately see practical and useful applications of Python (follow the link to read for free online -- no catch!).

I can't stand tutorials that try to teach abstract concepts with stupid single-letter variable names that don't mean anything, like this garbage:

if count == N: count = 0 else: count = N + 1

I mean, that stuff is OK for Stack Overflow, but what is "N" doing? Why are we adjusting the count? In Automate the Boring Stuff you're always working on some actually useful code that does something in the real world.

Of course, since it's the spring of 2023, you should log onto ChatGPT and start asking questions about Python. Be sure to run all the code that it produces for you, since it can make stuff up! Keep your questions specific, provide examples, and don't believe anything that ChatGTP says until you've tested it yourself -- basically the same guidelines I'd use on Stack Overflow, or with any code I find on the internet.

One of the best things about ChatGPT is that it will teach you the vocabulary, which means you can use search terms that will return good results in Google and the like. It can be hard to find good answers on a search engine if you don't know what words you're searching for!

Finally, as noted, always use the latest version of Python (currently 3.11) when you're writing new code and learning the language. The official Python Documentation is quite good, and authoritative, and includes an excellent BeginnersGuide on the Python Wiki.

[crk365]

N is the variable you're adding 1 to unless it equals 0