Core Python Programming · 2nd Edition

**Praise for _Core Python Programming_ ** "The long-awaited second edition of

Wesley Chun's _Core Python Programming_ proves to be well worth the wait--its

deep and broad coverage and useful exercises will help readers learn and

practice good Python." --Alex Martelli, author of _Python in a Nutshell_ and

editor of _Python Cookbook_ "There has been lot of good buzz around Wesley

Chun's _Core Python Programming_. It turns out that all the buzz is well

earned. I think this is the best book currently available for learning Python.

I would recommend Chun's book over _Learning Python_ (O'Reilly), _Programming

Python_ (O'Reilly), or _The Quick Python Book_ (Manning)." --David Mertz,

Ph.D., IBM DeveloperWorks(R) "I have been doing a lot of research [on] Python

for the past year and have seen a number of positive reviews of your book. The

sentiment expressed confirms the opinion that _Core Python Programming_ is now

considered the standard introductory text." --Richard Ozaki, Lockheed Martin

"Finally, a book good enough to be both a textbook and a reference on the

Python language now exists." --Michael Baxter, _Linux Journal_ "Very well

written. It is the clearest, friendliest book I have come across yet for

explaining Python, and putting it in a wider context. It does not presume a

large amount of other experience. It does go into some important Python topics

carefully and in depth. Unlike too many beginner books, it never condescends

or tortures the reader with childish hide-and-seek prose games. [It] sticks to

gaining a solid grasp of Python syntax and structure." --http: //python.org

bookstore Web site "[If ] I could only own one Python book, it would be _Core

Python Programming_ by Wesley Chun. This book manages to cover more topics in

more depth than Learning Python but includes it all in one book that also more

than adequately covers the core language. [If] you are in the market for just

one book about Python, I recommend this book. You will enjoy reading it,

including its wry programmer's wit. More importantly, you will learn Python.

Even more importantly, you will find it invaluable in helping you in your day-

to-day Python programming life. Well done, Mr. Chun!" --Ron Stephens, Python

Learning Foundation "I think the best language for beginners is Python,

without a doubt. My favorite book is _Core Python Programming_." --s003apr,

MP3Car.com Forums "Personally, I really like Python. It's simple to learn,

completely intuitive, amazingly flexible, and pretty darned fast. Python has

only just started to claim mindshare in the Windows world, but look for it to

start gaining lots of support as people discover it. To learn Python, I'd

start with _Core Python Programming_ by Wesley Chun." --Bill Boswell, MCSE,

Microsoft Certified Professional Magazine Online "If you learn well from

books, I suggest _Core Python Programming_. It is by far the best I've found.

I'm a Python newbie as well and in three months time I've been able to

implement Python in projects at work (automating MSOffice, SQL DB stuff,

etc.)." --ptonman, Dev Shed Forums "Python is simply a beautiful language.

It's easy to learn, it's cross-platform, and it works. It has achieved many of

the technical goals that Java strives for. A one-sentence description of

Python would be: 'All other languages appear to have evolved over time--but

Python was designed.' And it was designed well. Unfortunately, there aren't a

large number of books for Python. The best one I've run across so far is _Core

Python Programming_." --Chris Timmons, C. R. Timmons Consulting "If you like

the Prentice Hall Core series, another good full-blown treatment to consider

would be _Core Python Programming_. It addresses in elaborate concrete detail

many practical topics that get little, if any, coverage in other books."

\--Mitchell L Model, MLM Consulting " _Core Python Programming_ is an

amazingly easy read! The liberal use of examples helps clarify some of the

more subtle points of the language. And the comparisons to languages with

which I'm already familiar (C/C++/Java) get you programming in record speed."

--Michael Santos, Ph.D., Green Hills Software **The Complete Developer's Guide

to Python**

**New to Python?** The definitive guide to Python development for experienced

programmers

**Covers** core language features thoroughly, including those found in the

latest Python releases--learn _more_ than just the syntax!

**Learn** advanced topics such as regular expressions, networking,

multithreading, GUI, Web/CGI, and Python extensions

**Includes** brand-new material on databases, Internet clients, Java/Jython,

and Microsoft Office, plus Python 2.6 and 3

**Presents** hundreds of code snippets, interactive examples, and practical

exercises to strengthen your Python skills Python is an agile, robust,

expressive, fully object-oriented, extensible, and scalable programming

language. It combines the power of compiled languages with the simplicity and

rapid development of scripting languages. In _**Core Python Programming,

Second Edition** _ , leading Python developer and trainer Wesley Chun helps

you learn Python quickly and comprehensively so that you can immediately

succeed with any Python project. Using practical code examples, Chun

introduces all the fundamentals of Python programming: syntax, objects and

memory management, data types, operators, files and I/O, functions,

generators, error handling and exceptions, loops, iterators, functional

programming, object-oriented programming and more. After you learn the core

fundamentals of Python, he shows you what you can do with your new skills,

delving into advanced topics, such as regular expressions, networking

programming with sockets, multithreading, GUI development, Web/CGI programming

and extending Python in C. This edition reflects major enhancements in the

Python 2.x series, including 2.6 and tips for migrating to 3. It contains new

chapters on database and Internet client programming, plus coverage of many

new topics, including new-style classes, Java and Jython, Microsoft Office

(Win32 COM Client) programming, and much more.

Learn professional Python style, best practices, and good programming habits

Gain a deep understanding of Python's objects and memory model as well as its

OOP features, including those found in Python's new-style classes

Build more effective Web, CGI, Internet, and network and other client/server

applications

Learn how to develop your own GUI applications using Tkinter and other

toolkits available for Python

Improve the performance of your Python applications by writing extensions in C

and other languages, or enhance I/O-bound applications by using multithreading

Learn about Python's database API and how to use a variety of database systems

with Python, including MySQL, Postgres, and SQLite

Features appendices on Python 2.6 & 3, including tips on migrating to the

next generation! _**Core Python Programming** _ delivers

Systematic, expert coverage of Python's core features

Powerful insights for developing complex applications

Easy-to-use tables and charts detailing Python modules, operators, functions,

and methods

Dozens of professional-quality code examples, from quick snippets to full-

fledged applications