Python!

[In My Memory]

CapnRefsmmat suggested that I should learn Python, so I downloaded it last night and I do some very very simple things with it now. I learning it for fun, to increase my NQ (nerd quotient), and maybe to help me out in my work.

 

So I have some questions:

 

- Is it possible to force variable declaration? Forced declaration is automatic in C++, and it is optional in VB, but I've looked through the python handbooks and online and I havent seen anything.

 

- What can I do with Python? Does it support bitwise operations like rotate-left, right-shift, and other bitwise arithmatic? Not that I really need it, but will support the creation of 3D graphs or shapes? Is it possible to write an IMM-bot that will respond to posts on SFN when I'm not around?

 

- Would you like to share some python examples So far, heres my most successful program:

print 'cat'

It works like a charm

 

 

And if you have any other pearls of wisdom you'd like to share to a newbie programmer, share them!

[timo]

I´ve used Python a few years back and I found some old code snippet that might prove usefull to help you a bit:

 

"""
Create a fake "spiral galaxy"
"""
from scipy.xplt import *

# STEERING CONSTANTS
size = 150           # Size of the matrix

# Part of the complex plane to be shown
rMin, rMax = -0.578, -0.563
iMin, iMax = -0.569, -0.555

# => Stepsizes
dr, di = (rMax-rMin)/size, (iMax-iMin)/size

def RecursionDepth(c):
   z = 0.0+0.0j
   d = 0
   while abs(z)<2:
       z = z**2+c
       d +=1
       if (d>200):
           return d
    #   print z, d, abs(z), c

   return d

# Create Matrix
M = zeros((size, size))

re = rMin
for i in xrange(size):
   im = iMin
   for j in xrange(size):
       z = re+im*1j
       M[i, j] = RecursionDepth(z)
       im += di
   re += dr

window(1)
palette("heat.gp")
M[0,0] = 300; pli(M)
raw_input()
winkill(1)

I dunno if the scipy-package (scipy stands for "scientific python", I think) is widely used (i.e. if it´s in the distribution you downloaded) but one of your questions might be answered by above code even if you don´t have it:

- You can set the type of a variable by giving it an appropriate value. So if you want an integer to equal one, you assign "x = 1", if it´s supposed to be a floating point variable, you assign "x = 1.0" and if it´s supposed to be a complex, you assign "x = 1.0+0.0j". Not completely sure if that´s what you wanted, though.

 

For the other question:

- Afaik, Python is a comeplete OOP programming language so you should be able to do anything you can do with other programming languages. I think even the 3D-engine Ogre3D has a Python version. I really enjoyed writing programs in Python and I think it´s quite a good language for a beginner (although I don´t know whether you are a beginner or not).

[Aeternus]

http://docs.python.org/ref/shifting.html

http://docs.python.org/ref/bitwise.html

[bascule]

The Pythonistas sure seem to be doing a bang up job of recruiting people to learn Python as their first language.

 

I wouldn't ever recommend it as such, especially considering its syntax is completely different from any other language on earth, but I guess that's because I'm a Rails zealot who doesn't know Python and I really get a kick out of how much time the Pythonistas spent trying to abstract away common patterns in web development only to get thoroughly shown up by Rails. So I enjoy mocking Python in total ignorance, knowing that deep down Ruby and Python are basically the same...

 

Anyway, sorry for this totally uninformative contribution to your thread there IMM... I guess all I can say is that Python isn't that bad of a language to start out with; there are plenty that are much much worse.

 

What can I do with Python? Does it support bitwise operations like rotate-left, right-shift, and other bitwise arithmatic? Not that I really need it, but will support the creation of 3D graphs or shapes? Is it possible to write an IMM-bot that will respond to posts on SFN when I'm not around?

 

I'm certainly not going to be an authoritative source on any of this, but I think you can safely assume the answers to all these questions (save for the first) is "Yes"

[softdragonz]

Have you been amazed by the progress bar in Fedora Core installation.

 

I heard that the progress bar in Linux installations that shows the amt of OS installed, time remaining, etc was developed in Python

 

Its a breeze to learn... and it a programmer quoted in dobbs journal that his 10 y.o. daughter was able to draw a sine curve in python.

[Dave]

From what I can see, Python has the standard C-style bitwise operators (i.e. <<, >> for shifting, | & ^ for OR, AND and XOR). If you're interested in 3D programming, there's the Visualization Toolkit (VTK) which is a relatively easy way of displaying 3D stuff. Either that, or you can just use a Python OpenGL wrapper.

 

Basically there's a lot of bindings out there for Python as it seems to be one of the languages of choice over there. A lot of the cooler things like GStreamer have bindings, as well as GTK, QT and a whole host of other things. Personally, I don't particularly like the language, although I am going to learn it since I'm taking a module which is partially based off of Python in the Autumn term. But it seems to be a handy and easy to learn language, so go for it

[Cloud]

I tried learning python a month back.

 

Take it from me - Its the number 1 programming language for newbies - so you've made a wise choice. (It took me ages to realise this).

 

Its so easy to get into (I was declaring and using functions in 2 days).

 

You can get a good book about starting python here which takes you all the way to the object orientated concepts:

http://ibiblio.org/obp/thinkCS/python.php

 

The website (python.org) also has had a much needed makeover and there are some interesting articles on how python has been used in industry (NASA is using it - which is personally appealing).

 

However - it is still considered a second-rate language in the sense that it cannot compete with C++ and java and is frequently noted as a "glue" language or a secondary/supportive language which is annoying because I would like it to be mainstream (call me pythonistas if you like).

 

I think what python needs is better resources and a free professional looking IDE (not pywin because that is just annoying at times). Things are picking up now - I'll definitely use python (if I ever decide to do a software project).

 

well

that's my 2 <insert currency>

[Klaynos]

eclipse = an opensource IDE, there seems to be quite abit about making it work with python online...

 

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=eclipse+python

 

I've never really used it only a passing knowledge for answering questions in exams... But from what I've heard it is a very good basic language for beginners

[padren]

If you want to do good 3D rendering, I recommend Ogre3D (http://www.ogre3d.org) which is an object oriented C++ library of really good design and quality.

 

They do have Python addOn, http://www.ogre3d.org/phpBB2addons/viewforum.php?f=3

 

I've only used C++ so I don't know how easy the python element is. The API itself though is the easiest lib I've ever worked with.