Where to learn python

I've been casually studying python for a while now, but I'd like to get better. I'm somewhere around the intermediate level when it comes down to it. I can write whatever i need to, it just takes me a while longer than it should because I have to look up documentation and spend time figuring out how it works. I've written a very crude IDS-ish type script that monitors my firewall logs and and reports back if it finds something suspicious.

I've thought that taking a class would work best for me, because between work and school, I don't have a whole lot of time to sit down and really study(while remaining motivated). If I take a class, I know I will actually study and do the work while retaining most of what I've learned.

What do you guys think? Have any of you taken a python class at a college, and was it worth it? or should I just continue my slow self study and just do the security-tube python scripting class when I have the time?

Find more posts tagged with

Comments

veritas_libertas

If you have the option to take programming at a Uni or Community College then great, if not the below are also great choices.

https://www.udemy.com/draft/6955/

Learn Python The Hard Way

https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Python_Programming

pram

Learn Python The Hard Way is pretty good. If you're looking for a class O'reilly has a paid online course.

Python Programming Certificate -- O'Reilly School of Technology

Finding a class at your college that specifically teaches Python may be difficult. CS101 classes use different languages, sometimes depending on the professor. So unless your local school offers classes in Python you may end up learning something you don't want to know like C++ or Java. The higher level classes usually require taking the lower classes first.

bigmantenor

Udacity teaches with Python in one of their free intro to computer science courses. Also, John Zelle has an excellent book called Python Programming: An Introduction to Computer Science that will teach you quite a bit. I have the 2nd edition, which uses Python 3; if you're interested in Python 2 you will want to get the first edition.

Moon Child

Python was one of my favorite programming languages I have studied, unfortunately the resources to learn the language aren't as plentiful like there are for other popular languages like JAVA.

Master Of Puppets

Some of the resources I've tried:

Master Of Puppets wrote: »

To get a good start - Coursera has a great course on python from Rice university. This is for a total beginner. Plus it's free.

edx.org has a more advanced Python class from MIT. That's also free.

As for books:

I really enjoyed Think Python 2012. If you are new to programming Head First Python might be helpful.

Core Python Programming is also a good one.

If this is not your first clash with programming - you might like Python bible 2.1. It does start with basic python and explaining the syntax but dives deeper after that. A nice thing about this one is that it includes a lot of examples which are quite helpful.

.

Snow.bros

veritas_libertas wrote: »

If you have the option to take programming at a Uni or Community College then great, if not the below are also great choices.

https://www.udemy.com/draft/6955/

Learn Python The Hard Way

https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Python_Programming

Thanks for the link, i was always interested in programming but i don't have the option to it, so these books might be cool read to during my spare time.

madrien

http://www.codecademy.com

whatthehell

I think MIT's free opencourseware teaches and intro to programming course that teaches Python -- I think they actually use the Learn Python the Hard Way book as a text book.

Snow.bros

madrien wrote: »

http://www.codecademy.com

Cool site i am enjoying it thanks for the link

zxshockaxz

Thanks for all the links and feed back! The o'reilly classes seem interesting, but looks like I'll be doing some of the other free material. I've done the coursera class, so maybe i'll try MIT's course next!