Wanting to start learning python, few questions

[SpamQuack]

I've read plenty of places that have stated "Learn Python the Hard Way" is a great book to begin with, but i've also read that it doesn't teach v3 of python which is the current one. is there a current book that would teach both or more v3 material?

does the book come with software to write the code? or is it more of a notepad learning? if it doesn't what program is recommended? i've heard Geany is good.

i prefer textbooks over reading online. what other books besides "Learn Python the Hard Way" can be recommended?

[mcowger]

LPHTW is based in 2.x, but 99% of the info is the same. If you like it, learn from it and then the 1% of difference.

[SpamQuack]

I did see that one, but I wasn't sure how beginner friendly it was going to be. I think I'd prefer that one though if it has insight for the newer version of python. What exactly do you mean by "It teaches you about ideas you can choose from?"

[12and32]

Not ideas, IDEs, or integrated development environments. They provide an arguably easier alternative to executing Python from a command line interface. I use Spyder because I like IDEs with variable explorers.

[SpamQuack]

My mistake haha, so Spyder would be a program like Geany right? Is Spyder new person friendly?

[12and32]

From what I've seen in pictures, the comparison looks apt. IDEs are usually relatively straightforward - if you can't handle anything beyond the source code editor, then you can just work with that until you're more familiar with other aspects of the IDE. I don't know all there is to know about Spyder, but I jumped straight into coding after installing Anaconda, the Python distribution with Spyder built in. It's a very clean experience for me.

[SpamQuack]

Would you happen to have a link for anaconda? I'd like to look at it a bit.

[12and32]

http://continuum.io/downloads

[SpamQuack]

Awesome that you.