resources

textbook

• Python Programming: An Introduction to Computer Science, 3rd edition
• by John Zelle, ISBN 1590282752
• on amazon
• additional online books
  • How to Think like a Computer Scientist - interactive browser-based code
  • Fundamentals of Python Programming by Richard L. Halterman

python

• documentation & help
  • Have a specific question? Just google it ...
  • official 3.x docs
  • python 3 cheatsheat | local copy
  • stackoverflow.com - questions & answers with 'python' tag
• installing it - make sure you get version 3.something
  • official downloads
  • anaconda distribution - another distribution with numpy & all the trimmings
  • jupyter - a browser-based python numerical environment
    • a gallery of interesting jupyter/python notebooks
  • find recipes by googling terms like "windows install bash python 3" or "install mac python 3" or similar variations.
    • a bash + python recipe
    • installing python at realpython.com
• online environments
  • pythontutor - online code visualization
  • jupyter.marlboro.college - Jupyter notebooks. (Ask Jim if you want an account.)
  • shannon.marlboro.college - a remote sever. (Ask Jim if you want an account.)
• style, tests, and types (oh my). YMMV
  • PEP8 style guide for python code
  • doctest
  • black - uncompromising code formatter
  • python type checking ... also google "python type hints"
  • mypy - a static type checker for Python
  • numpy - numerical python - support for scientific computing

coding practice

• Project Euler - "a series of challenging mathematical/computer programming problems"
• Advent of Code | about - "small programming puzzles for a variety of skill sets and skill levels"
• Rosetta Code - iconic coding tasks in many languages

command line

• wikipedia: command-line interface
• essay "In the beginning there was the command line" | wikipedia
• Mac: "Terminal" application (click magnifying glass in menu for Spotlight; type 'Terminal')
• Windows: install "git bash" which includes the unix "bash" shell including a terminal, ssh, and other common unix-y stuff.
• linux command line - learn about how to use the command line
• the alternative to the command line is GUI apps and a window manager

code editors

• nano - a simple but good unix (and windows git bash) command line line choice
• emacs | aquamacs - what Jim uses
• vim - another classic in-the-terminal hacker's editor
• notepad++ (windows) - free code-friendly replacement for Notepad
• atom - a web-oriented GUI code editor
• sublime text - proprietary ($) GUI editor
• idle - python.org's built-in IDE

IDEs - integrated development environments

• top python IDEs for 2019 - popularity & discussion from datacamp.com
• IDLE - python.org's app for editing and running python ; comes with the standard python installation
• PyCharm - JetBrain's lots-of-bells app for editing & running python on Mac, Windows, Linux. There's a free "community" version and a paid version with more features.

computer systems vocabulary & acronyms

• ascii and utf8
• newline and text files
• binary, bytes, and hex
• compilers and interpreters
• hello world
• GUI - graphical user interface
• IDE - integrated development environment (an editor + compiler + documentation programming application)
• operating systems and file systems
• git - a popular "version control system" for managing files and software projects
• wikipedia - along with stackoverflow and xkcd, the repository of everything anyone has ever thought about computers
• the internet

general info

• Copyright & Plagiarism | Marlboro Policy on Academic Integrity