Python for Informatics: Exploring Information: Exploring Information

My 13 year old daughter wanted to learn programming, so I choose a coursera MOOC called "Programming for Everyone". The course is taught by Dr. Severance (Dr Chuck) and this is the book that is used. We are only one week and one chapter into the book, and I'm writing a review now because I just cannot believe how well he teaches by injecting humor into what would be considered dry concepts. For example, he teaches the concept of reserved words by explaining that a dog hears the word "walk" as a reserved word. In a sentence containing the word "walk", the dog hears everything else as blah blah blah... The dog only hears the word "walk". I'm taking the course with her and am actually looking forward to doing so. I -- a middle aged Mom who has a messaging phone and still uses a paper planner!Update: My daughter did not last long in going through the coursera book, but she is 13 after all and on to a different project of building a dollhouse. I had to delay taking the course until I had more time, and I am finding it both challenging and helpful. There are worked exercises for each week that follow the chapters in the book. I am finding that it takes me multiple attempts to get the exercises correct, so the process reminds me of how I learned math as a child. Nothing is better at getting information solidly learned than to work problems over and over. I would highly recommend the coursera course. It can be taken at no cost, or you can pay to get a certificate. I paid to get a certificate so that I would stay on track in taking the course. I added a picture of the instructor as Snape. He succeeds in making this course fun!Update 10/21/15: I completed the first of five coursera courses based on the book. Finally, after attempting and failing to learn Java and SQL, I get the concept of using what is called a parameter in Python. I literally laugh out loud at some of the antics in the coursera videos that use this book.

I wasn't sure what "Informatics" was when I ordered this book (kindle version) and I really just wanted some cheap exposure to Python programming to determine if it was something I wanted to pursue. Serendipity Baby!! First, the price was perfect: $0. I don't know how you can get a book of this quality for free, but thank you Lord! Second, the authors style is very readable, well organized and surprisingly thorough for a somewhat "thin" book. Finally, my interest in Python programming has significantly increased, which is really the ultimate measure of success for an author of this type of book.And for those of you wondering about the meaning of "Informatics", here is my attempt at the practical meaning (as it relates to this book). We often times need to glean "bits" of information from copious amounts of bulk data. Mr. Severance covered several examples for collecting and managing such data from email dumps, web pages and databases.

This is a very good book. and easy to follow. It is mostly targeted to those who are mostly interested in Data analytics rather than programming. May be for a Computer science student it does not hold that much of value as some other references does. It does not cover algorithms or deep down programming techniques. But for a data analytist this book is has well detailed information of how the functions and modules really work.

I've tried many times to learn a new computing language from books, with varying success. This book reflects the first-rate teaching skills of a supreme teacher. You can actually learn Python without being drawn off into irrelevant or confusing side-channels. The book is full of code examples that are properly gauged so that you can read and understand them given what you've learned up to that point. At the end, the going gets heavy, but if you stick with it you'll find that Dr. Chuck has provided a ton of useful knowledge. The code and data are available on the author's website. One inevitable glitch is that even though the book is pretty recent, ongoing updates of Python have slightly changed the syntax of a few of the methods he describes -- you will need to resort to Google sometimes to fix the code so that it will work with today's version.

I was looking for a good book to teach an introduction to python class from to students in the MS in Business Analytics Program at The University of Texas at Austin.Most books looked like they'd been written in 1985, with C/Pascal replaced by Python.Severance's book felt much more modern, with its emphasis on applications like HTTP services and SQL. The treatment of data structures, which tends to be most of the focus for other books, is limited to the key data structures that programmers use everyday, and not implementation details (e.g., Red-Black BSTs), which are not meaningful in this day and age.I like the short, and to the point writing style, and the supplemental online resources.Two places for improvements: more exercises, and an online forum to discuss the book (e.g., discourse.org).This is not the book for you if you want to learn about the details of things like binary search, heaps, shortest path algorithms - for that Cormen, Leiserson, Rivest, and Stein's opus is appropriate.However, for the vast majority of readers looking to learn enough to start programming real-world in a short time, look no further.

If you are starting to learn Python, do yourself a great favor.1) Sign up for Dr. Chuck's python course on Coursera and do all the lessons.2) Get this book (Coursera course is based on it).You will learn enough Python to finally make some sense of the other books you gave up on." Dr. Chuck" as he is called, has laid out the book in a very logical way, with very usefulexamples. Between this book, and his class (FREE on Coursera), you will be rewarded.The biggest request from the classroom boards, after completion, seems to be a ferventwish for Dr. Chuck to offer a follow up class. 5 Stars for the bundle!! (Dr.Chuck/book/Coursera) :)

Livro excelente

If you are zero experienced in programming this books takes you from zero to hero I am a network engineer, with zero programming skills. I am learning a lot

good.

I read this in conjunction with taking the Python for Everyone course on Coursera. I found the text to be excellent on its own or in conjunction with the course. The exercises included are well designed to develop incremental knowledge of the language.

Helder geschreven. Goede voorbeelden en logische opbouw. Geschikt als lesboek maar ook prima te gebruiken als naslag.Aan te bevelen samen met de coursera cursus.