PROG 70030

Intro to Python
Programming
#61800-C01
Sheridan College HMC Campus - B332
Tuesday, September 11, 2018
Marc Gibbons
marcd.gibbons@sheridancollege.ca
Twitter: @marcgibb
Plan for today
• Introduction – meet & greet
• Learn about services offered at Sheridan
• What to expect from this course
• Use Slate
• Introduction & history of Python
Introduce yourself!
• Your name
• What do you?
• Is this your first programming experience?
• Share something interesting about yourself
Services at Sheridan
Faculty of Continuing And Professional Studies (FCAPS):
• Newcomers to Canada
https://www.sheridancollege.ca/academics/faculties/continuing-and-professional-
studies

Student Services:
• Centre for Indigenous Learning and Support
• Accessible Learning
• Tutoring
• Counselling
• Health
https://www.sheridancollege.ca/life-at-sheridan/student-services
Library Services
Online resources!
 SLATE
https://slate.sheridancollege.ca/
Forward SLATE Notifications
https://ltsa.sheridancollege.ca/learning-technology-portal/slate-
2/setting-your-preferences/
Setup your SLATE profile
Post a photo please!
About this course
Introduction to Python
And to programming
(no prior experience necessary)
 1/3
of a 3-course Python program
Django?
Bring your laptop
The lab computers are forgetful
Objectives for course
Use the command line
Comfortable using the Python interpreter
Write simple interactive programs
Course Outline
in SLATE
 No textbook
But, I will point you to resources
Assignments & Quizzes
1 quiz (this week)
5 assignments (includes final)
Late Policy
10% per day

Please get in touch ASAP

Communication
Slate
Sheridan email
No personal emails
24-48 hr response time
I am here to help
and to share the awesomeness of Python!
Plagiarism / copy & pasting
code from the web
Don't do it
It's ok to find solutions & inspiration on StackOverflow, Google, etc.
Always reference the source.
 Be nice
And comfortable making mistakes
Questions?
Python

https://www.python.org
Guido Van Rossum
Creator
Benevolent Dictator For Life (BDFL)
Stepped down from BDFL role in 2018
https://www.theregister.co.uk/2018/07/13/python_creator_guido_van_rossum_quits/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTTFh7HOlC0
Interpreted language
Written in C
CPython Interpreter (standard)
Other interpreters
(you probably will never use)
• Jython (Java)
• IronPython (.NET)
• PyPy (Subset of Python called RPython. Yes. Python
interpreted byPython)
Python is open-source and
community driven
You can (and should) contribute to the Python project
 Open source
https://github.com/python/cpython
Python 2 or Python 3
Python 2 is in support-mode
2.7 is the final version
Bug fixes & security updates until 2020
Still lots of projects out there
3.0 released in 2008
2.7 released in 2011
Python 3.7.0
Current stable release
We will be using this version
Why Python?
 Readable,
easy to learn
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/sep/04/coding-school-computing-
children-programming
Quick development cycle
Interpreted language (no compiler)
Interactive shell
Simple syntax
Scalable
Web & app services
Science & Math
The Zen of Python (PEP-20)
Beautiful is better than ugly.

Explicit is better than implicit.

Simple is better than complex.

Complex is better than complicated.

Flat is better than nested.

Sparse is better than dense.

Readability counts.

Special cases aren't special enough to break the rules.

Although practicality beats purity.

Errors should never pass silently.

Unless explicitly silenced.

In the face of ambiguity, refuse the temptation to guess.

There should be one-- and preferably only one --obvious way to do it.

Although that way may not be obvious at first unless you're Dutch.
 PEP-8
Python Style Guide
https://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0008/
Read it. Love it.
https://docs.python-guide.org
https://www.pythonweekly.com
https://news.ycombinator.com
PyCon Canada 2018
November 10-13, 2018
Toronto
Action items
• Complete Quiz 1 at your leisure this week
• Complete your profile & upload photo to SLATE
• Complete the SLATE orientation
• Bring your laptop next week