Google uses it for their search engine, Youtube uses it to run its platform, Philips uses it for running their Semiconductor Line, D-Link Australia Uses Python to Control Firmware Updates. Well, ask me they all say that Python was the reason behind their success! I’m putting up a few resources collected from across the web for anyone to Learn Python now.
My first encounter with Python
My first encounter with Python came when I tried to build an automated PDF printing solution for a legacy software. I built this using Sikuli which is an automated testing tool. Sikuli uses Python as its scripting language. Guess what I learned Python in just a few hours to do all the work for me! That was the shortest time I ever learned a new programming language.
Brief History
Python was created in the early 90s. It was recently declared the Language of the Year by TIOBE and finding increasing usage for everything from robotics to web applications. Well, if you never heard of Python, then you are not a nerd or you are an alien entering the world of programming!
For an elaborate history and to know who built Python, visit this Wikipedia article
From “Collective Intelligence”
All the example code in this book is
written in Python, an excellent, high-level language. I chose Python because it is:
Concise
Code written in dynamically typed languages such as Python tends to be shorter
than code written in other mainstream languages. This means there’s less typing
for you when working through the examples, but it also means that it’s easier to
fit the algorithm in your head and really understand what it’s doing.
Easy to read
Python has at times been referred to as “executable pseudocode.” While this is
clearly an exaggeration, it makes the point that most experienced programmers
can read Python code and understand what it is supposed to do. Some of the less
obvious constructs in Python are explained in the “Python Tips” section below.
Easily extensible
Python comes standard with many libraries, including those for mathematical
functions, XML (Extensible Markup Language) parsing, and downloading web
pages. The nonstandard libraries used in the book, such as the RSS (Really
Simple Syndication) parser and the SQLite interface, are free and easy to download,
install, and use.
Interactive
When working through an example, it’s useful to try out the functions as you
write to them without writing another program just for testing. Python can run
programs directly from the command line, and it also has an interactive prompt
that lets you type in function calls, create objects, and test packages interactively.
Multiparadigm
Python supports object-oriented, procedural, and functional styles of programming.
Machine-learning algorithms vary greatly, and the clearest way to implement one may use a different paradigm than another. Sometimes it’s useful
to pass around functions as parameters and other times to capture state in an
object. Python supports both approaches.
Multiplatform and free
Python has a single reference implementation for all the major platforms and is
free for all of them. The code described in this book will work on Windows,
Linux, and Macintosh.
Python Resources
An introduction to Python Ecosystem – Mir Nazim
Learn Python – Free eBooks, samples, applications, and cookbooks.
This is a very good starting point takes you from basic scripting to building a website using python: Learn Python The Hard Way
Recommended Code Sample Links
Python Web Frameworks
There are many web frameworks built on Python for Python. You can use them to jump-start your web development. CubicWeb, Django, Pyramid, Web.py, Web2py, and Zope 2 give Python-savvy Web application developers powerful and diverse options!