Python Office Hours

Hi!

When and Where?

Every other Wednesday, like September 25 2013. It should appear on our handy-dandy calendar of events.

3519 N. Elston Chicago, IL 60618

We talk on irc during at #pumpingstationone on freenode. If you don't have an irc client, you can connect to the channel via this web client: #pumpingstationone

What is this?

This is a chance for people to get together for moral support, project assistance, and homework assistance. We’ll have an experienced python developer or two on hand to help answer questions and explain difficult concepts. This is an “office hours” event with volunteer teaching assistants.

For students, the expectation is that you watch lectures, read tutorials and attempt homework on your own, then use this as a resource to aid in learning.

If you don't already have something to work on or study, look through the resources below.

Learning resources

Tutorials

• if you are new to programming, try out the Boston Python Workshop materials
• if you are new to python but know a little about programming, try out the Intermediate Boston Python Workshop projects.
• NewCoder: intermediate level projects to try after learning syntax and things from sites like Learn Python the Hard Way. It has tutorials on
  • Data Visualization
  • APIs
  • Web Scraping
  • Networks
• Learn Python The Hard Way: "instructs you in Python by slowly building and establishing skills through techniques like practice and memorization, then applying them to increasingly difficult problems."
• EarSketch curriculum. Introduction to programming with music. (has anyone tried this? The concept is neat so I've included it here)

Interactive Tutorials

• http://www.pythontutor.com/
• http://codingbat.com/python
• http://www.learnpython.org/
• http://www.codecademy.com/tracks/python
• How to Think Like a Computer Scientist
• Problem Solving with Algorithms and Data Structures

Online python interpreters

If you want to try out python and scientific packages without installing everything, you can use these servers.

• https://colaboratory.jupyter.org/welcome/ a Google Drive app that provides an interactive ipython notebook (need to install google drive app)
• https://www.wakari.io/ ipython notebook (need account)
• https://www.pythonanywhere.com/ many different python shells. python, ipython, pypy (need account)

Books and Reading

• Two Scoops of Django: an excellent django book
• The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Python: This is a guide for python developers that gives an overlay of the land of python development. In the guide's words: "The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Python exists to provide both novice and expert Python developers a best-practice handbook to the installation, configuration, and usage of Python on a daily basis."

Online courses providers

• edX
• Coursera
• Udacity
• Python Learn
• Software Carpentry

Help find materials

I'd like to get some curricula for these topics.

• web development
  • I found Getting Started with Django
• robots
• raspberry pi
• open data / civic hacking. I found Community Data Science Workshop
• games
• open science
• teaching
• young coders (see example from pycon Young Coders Tutorial)
• systems programming
  • I found Learn Python The Hard Way Study Projects

random stuff

• a repo with a script that will set up an example graphite instance https://github.com/obfuscurity/synthesize

Python Office Hours/Organizing