Show HN: Hello Python, my book about learning python, has just been released | Hacker News Reader

Show HN: Hello Python, my book about learning python, has just been released

manning.com

46 pointsanthonyb17 comments

A response for timdot (he's been hellbanned, so I can't respond directly[1]):

It took about three years, which is a fair while, but then I've been juggling work, 2 kids and helping with the IT side of my wife's business.

I also did things the opposite way around to most people, starting with the publisher first. I was an organiser for the local Python user group here in Melbourne, and had my name on the wiki while Manning were looking for reviewers. After a couple of reviews, they must've liked my writing style or something, because they asked me to write a book.

[1] - you might want to contact info@news.ycombinator.com and get that sorted out. You don't look like a troll to me based on your history :)

This is the Python book I've been waiting for!

  * Working computer game example
  * OO and FP done painlessly
  * Practical csv manipulation,etc
  * Django
  * Pyglet
  * Networking

I know I've basically copied the ToC but that's what I've wanted in one source. Thanks Anthony!!

What version of python did you cover? I've gone through the table of content and since you introduce? Django, I take if you cover python 2.x and not 3.0? Any way well done.

Yes, at the time that I started writing, Python 3 was just a dot on the horizon. Even now, there are a lot of libraries that haven't been ported across, and the book has a strong practical bent (It's as much a learning to program book as a learning Python book).

I have never done this before,(ie buy a book based on the Table of content), but this is going to be my first. I am pre ordering from Amazon UK. Do you have any idea when it will reach sellers outside the US? Oh and I hope for a first edition the typos are not too much?

There are two sample chapters, so you don't have to jump in completely cold.

The print version is available on February 13th I think, so perhaps a few days or a week after that?

It's had several reviewers go through it with a fine toothed comb, so while there are probably still some typos, they are hopefully very small.

I don't think that's a reasonable excuse. Mark Lutz's Learning Python does a very good comparison of a lot the features in the language as they are implemented in both python 2.6 and 3.x. That book was released in September 2009: http://shop.oreilly.com/product/9780596158071.do

Edit: Actually, while reading one of the sample chapters it becomes apparent that this book is more of a general introduction to programming than a book about learning Python. I also noticed that there are a few notes sprinkled here and there about changes in python 3.0. So I withdraw my previous criticism.

Also: kudos for getting the SouthPark reference about the rectal probe in there :)

Good job! Are you able to offer HN readers a discount?

Not that I know of, but a very good question, and they do promotions fairly frequently. I'll check with the marketing people and see what I can do.

If you buy it through manning.com's online store (through the link above), you can use the code hpython37, which will give you a 37% discount for print or e-books.

Thinking about it, I possibly should have organised that ahead of time, but cest la'vie.

Thank you! Will do.

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3536859

That one got blacklisted for some reason - It was on the front page, then disappeared, and when it came back a couple of hours later it was 5-6 pages deep. Not sure what happened (some sort of glitch, maybe?), so I resubmitted.

Hope it doesn't annoy anyone too much, but a lot of people on HN have been asking about when it's going to be released, so I thought I'd have another try at getting it out there.

Excellent! Just read the sample chapter 5. Very well written and lots of good info. Congrats.

I might order this. I'll ask my old lady when she wakes up. She does our budgeting.

Nice! A great introduction to an accessible, powerful language. Fun but not condescending, good introduction to principles in a clear style.

I'd recommend.

seems like a great book, grabbed one for my kid

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