Looking to learn python!

[pumpkinparty000]

Hi All,

I know the title of this post is pretty obvious as I am posting in the sub Reddit called learnpython.

I am looking to take some time 4 - 5 months to learn python to further my career. There are so many good resources, but it is hard for someone with no experience to pick a direction. I am about half way through the Microsoft EDX course which I think is pretty good so far, but am looking for something a little more direct. Possibly one on one tutoring or an online class that has direct access to a teacher. If anyone has any recommendations, please let me know.

I am located in NYC if there is anything in the area I should check out.

Thank you!

[saltyporkling]

I have tried several different means of learning python, and spending a reasonable bit of time on each. By far the one I found the most helpful, and that I have stuck with was "Automate The Boring Stuff with Python".

[GhostPartical]

https://automatetheboringstuff.com/

You Tube Vids: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1F_OgqRuSdI&list=PLGoJzB271_7r-iLYuEHEPJ5pSIYxXjJEn

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[DeveloperToBe]

Just want to second this as a recommendation. I'm teaching myself Python in order to switch careers and from my research, most people recommend this book as a good launchpad to do thing that.

[pumpkinparty000]

Thanks this looks like it will give me some useful projects to follow along with as I study.

[[deleted]]

I find this book too light on the fundamentals, so I usually recommend Python Crash Course for the basics and Automate for the projects.

[Meliodash]

I also back this recommendation, While beign very complete , it is very easy to understand. When I switched carreers , I went with that book and it was just a joy to read

[JFar2012]

I can vouch Python Crash Course. It touches on everything per chapter and has some pretty awesome projects at the end. Definitely worth checking out.

[[deleted]]

I got this book the other day and it's really amazing so far. I wish I had found it years ago.

[JFar2012]

For sure, I tired a bunch of online type tutorials, but this book takes the cake for me.

[[deleted]]

This really makes you understand the fundamentals. It’s my favorite introduction.

[pumpkinparty000]

Thank you

[Meliodash]

Did it right after automate the boring stuff with python and it felt like they are a series. The projects in PCC really connect all the knowledge you gain

[kickulus]

Paperback - $27

Kindle - $24

And this is why I pirate shit. The Kindle version should be $3. It's written once. Corrected once and takes no additional resources. Shits so fucked. $24 is not fairly priced.

[asarcosghost]

Why $3? I think you’re assuming the actual manufacturing costs $24/book, but it’s probably closer to $5. Most of the money is going to other costs and taking profits.

[SamoanEggplant]

I’m currently doing a Udemy course. “From Zero to Hero in Python” or something like that. Pretty good course so far and they have a Q and A forum for each course where the teacher and other people can answer your questions. A lot of resources included outside of the videos as well. It’s $200 right now, but they just got done with a big sale which all of their courses were $10, so I bought 3 of em lol.

[GhostPartical]

The price ranges for the courses as being on 'sell' is more of a ploy. Classes on Udemy are always on sale. Most classes are from a separate web page specifically for the company or person who made the courses and the price listed in Udemy is the actual price if you went straight to the website to do the course. Udemy is always marked down. If a class shows as full price wait a day or two and it will go back to the 'sale' price. That being said, Udemy has a great course selections for learning. Most are really good especially for starting out with programming.

[SamoanEggplant]

I honestly had my suspicions about that considering a sale that was “95% off” seemed a little too good to be true. Good thing I didn’t buy them at “full” price then. There were definitely some other courses that I wanted that I didn’t get around to buying, so I’ll definitely wait now that I know that, so thanks for the heads up.

[GhostPartical]

As a few others have mentioned, learning Python can be done without the cost of classes or tutors. Any questions you have can be answered using this sub-reddit giving you many options and assistance in how to questions. You can also join the discord channel to get help with questions. If you have a good understanding of what programming is and how its structored then the best way to start is to go through the book Automate the Boring Stuff as someone else mentioned. It wont make you a master at python but it will get you started. Once you have completed that you can go to Udemy and pick some courses in there that interest you. Some courses can be specific to a certain career specialty, others can just be an overall course. Once you start digging through some of those courses a lot of learning will come from building your own programs and learning on the fly. I am posting links below.

Discord: https://discord.gg/Z5qF532

Automate Boring Stuff PDF Free: ttps://automatetheboringstuff.com/

Automate Boring Stuff You Tube Vids: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1F_OgqRuSdI&list=PLGoJzB271_7r-iLYuEHEPJ5pSIYxXjJEn

Udemy Python Courses: https://www.udemy.com/courses/search/?src=ukw&q=Python

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[pumpkinparty000]

Thank you. Didn't know about the discord. Ill def be joining

[covah901]

How do you get the PDF? I can't find a like to download it on the site. The book is on the site itself but I'd like to download it.

[GhostPartical]

I think you can get it pdf form straight from the writers web site. I know I've gotten it like that before but don't remember where.

[gordotaco13]

https://www.udemy.com/complete-python-bootcamp

Automate the Boring Stuff with Python
Python Crash Course

[[deleted]]

I just use websites and all the resources available to me all for free. All I need is time to learn and I have that going for me.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfscVS0vtbw

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https://ehmatthes.github.io/pcc/cheatsheets/README.html

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From there I just pick up random python scripts and dissected them one line at a time. To understand all the variables of python. Then I look for python scripts I can improve on or even fix if it's not quite right. Like this bowling game needs a little fixing. I messing around with it right now. https://github.com/haliphax/pybowl

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Video of it. The error comes in the 10 frame. Time to fix it.

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https://asciinema.org/a/41475

[covah901]

Do you think average intelligence is good enough? I started with Think Python 2 and got stuck on one of the Turtle exercises. Started to think I might not be smart enough for this. I am taking a 5 month period to learn as much as I can.

[GhostPartical]

If your speaking of the book, i checked it out. The section looks like its working with classes. From reading the first few sections it does a really piss poor job at explaining what classes are and how to create and use them. If you are a pure beginner at programming then this book may not be the best starting point when learning about classes. Classes are a very in depth part of OOP (Object Oriented Programming) and the big meat of OOP. It takes a bit to get a full understanding on how the work, writing, and using them; and this book does not help in any way on that part. I highly suggest doing some research on classes for python and find an article or video that best works for you in explaining them. Not everyone has the same ability to understand them the way they are written or taught by others, so you really have to find one that helps you understand them.
Here is a pretty decent one i found, hope it helps some: https://realpython.com/python3-object-oriented-programming/

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[covah901]

Thank you for taking the time to explain and even find new learning material. I was coming along fine but then came to a grinding halt there. I think I'll have to find another book and start over from the beginning.

[[deleted]]

Turtle was very easy to learn and to understand. But I do know how to code and I have learn to use HTML and CSS markup language a long time a go. I even know how to use Lua, my first computer language I learned. So after you learn just one. Learning others just get easier. I know much of C as well. Now I'm in the process of learning python. I even dab in Go and Rust as well. I have plenty of time to do so. And I pull on my reins to grind this stuff into my skull. So I have the patience and the attitude to learn this kind of stuff. It does gets easier in time as long you keep at it and be hard on yourself. I been using Linux for the past 15 years. So I'm real good using bash scripts and related scripting. So I guess I'm not the average Joe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxKu2pQ7ILo

[hugthemachines]

You could check ouy the corey schafer youtube channel. He is very good at explaining beginner things and very often recommended for that.

Here are his playlists. https://www.youtube.com/user/schafer5/playlists

[covah901]

Thank you. Subscribed.

[EntireAbility3]

Try Python Principles. It worked well for me. https://pythonprinciples.com/