CSCI 240 Python Resources

We are programming using Python version 2.4.3. If you wish to install Python on your own computer for use in the class, you probably want to make sure you get the same version. If you look for resources on the web, you should pay attention to the version as well.

Textbook

The textbook we will be using for the part of the course is
Downey, Elkner, and Meyers, How to Think Like a Computer Scientist: Learning with Python, Green Tea Press, 2002.
The authors have made the book freely available; you can access a local copy on the web or download your own copy as a PDF file. If you are logged in on a CS lab computer, you can read the PDF file with the command 
acroread /cslab/class/csci240/thinkCSpy.pdf &
You can, of course, also access the book in either form at the publisher's site, http://thinkpython.com/.

The department has purchased two bound copies, which are kept in the CS lab for your use. Please don't walk off with them. If you want your own printed copy, you can purchase one either directly from the publisher or (rather quickly) through Amazon.

Python documentation

I have provided a local copy of the correct version of the Python documentation library. You'll probably be most interested in the language manual and the library reference.

The library includes a language tutorial, but that is written for people who already know how to program, but just want to learn Python.

Python on the web

The starting place for all things Python is http://python.org/.

Last updated 8 Jan 2007.

This document was translated from LATEX by HEVEA.