What is a good resource to learn Python?

[Incitatus]

Preferably a free online resource, there is a number of them. I am hoping someone familiar with the language can recommend the best. I am new to programming and from what I have read, Python is a good one for beginners.

[Make7]

1. I find the online stuff from MIT, Stanford (via iTunesU), and Google to usually be helpful.

I haven't looked at any of the following, but they are probably worth checking out:

A Gentle Introduction to Programming Using Python   (MIT)

Python Basics (Stanford via iTunesU - under Programming Paradigms)

Google's Python Class   (Google)

I've only done a few specific little scripting things with Python as part of larger projects, so I probably only know enough to get myself in trouble - but I do like what I've seen so far.

[Incitatus]

4. Thanks for the reply.

[Phillip McCleod]

2. python is pure awesomeness congealed into poetry..

..yes, definitely a good beginner's language. may i ask what coding experience you *do* have? HTML? PHP? anything like that? or are you a true noob? i only ask because there's some good tutorials for coders coming to python from another language.. but even without knowing your answers, i can at least recommend the following..

* Instant Hacking: http://hetland.org/writing/instant-hacking.html
* Python Wiki Beginner's Guide for Non-Programmers: http://wiki.python.org/moin/BeginnersGuide/NonProgrammers

then there's this classic.. the title is a 'misnomer' as the author puts it..

* Learning Python the Hard Way: http://learnpythonthehardway.org/book/

and of course you'll need to *eat, sleep, and breath* teh python docs, which has it's own tutorials..

* Python Documentation: http://www.python.org/doc/

may i also ask which python version you're going to be hacking in? and on which operating system your hacks will be running?

most of the good tutorials are written for Python 2, but when you're perusing the docs make sure the version number matches whatever you decide to use.

[Incitatus]

3. I have some HTML experience.

I am using Windows 7 right now.

Thanks

[Phillip McCleod]

7. on windows there's an an extra step..

..getting python running .. steps I don't know. Do you have it working on your machine yet?

[Incitatus]

8. Yes

I have 2.7 and 3.3. installed and working. Now I'm just looking through various tutorials.

[Phillip McCleod]

9. you are on it then...

..no doubt you saw the nice collection in wiki.python.org too..

[Recursion]

5. Dive Into Python

http://www.diveintopython.net/

[napoleon_in_rags]

6. Python is a surprisingly good resource to learn Python with.

With it installed, type python from the command list. Type:

range(6)
then type
help(range)
to learn about the function you just called. press 'q' to get out of help.
If works with modules too. type
import os
then type
help(os)
to see what's in the operating system module. press 'q' to get out.

I learned it after learning java, but what I found most helpful was just the tutorial on the python website.
http://docs.python.org/2/tutorial/

Maybe there's better ones if its your first language. Regardless, don't stop until you can do something you want to. Download Django for interactive websites in Python, or something like PIL for image processing, and learn the power. Its not long after your printing "hello world" that you can do some powerful stuff.