Want to learn Python at MIT? (Free, right now?)

[throb36 0]

Introduction to Computer Science and Programming (taught with Python)

 

 

(the entire course is online)

[seth_eckert 0]

Uh, this is awesome

[douwe 0]

cool stuff.

here's the

.

 

you can also click the Interactive Transcript button below the videos to get subtitles with timestamps, for browsing, skipping and easy referencing.

[Aaron Scott 0]

Python > every other programming language ever

[microdot 0]

sweet

[NewSolid 0]

Fantastic! Thanks for the share.

[devnull 0]

Not only is there python, but a multitude of other courses and languages... very helpful share.

 

http://ocw.mit.edu/courses

 

Thanks,

[the_Monkey 8]

While this open courseware is very generous of MIT...I might steer beginning C4D Python enthusiasts away from it.

The lecturer himself states that the class is not about Python (and from the several minutes I watched... he's right).

 

Someone else recommended this book... maybe even on mograph and it's awesome: Python the Hard Way

If you do it the "hard" way you will spend quite a lot of time typing... and typing... and typing. I am the worst, slowest typer on the interweb, but I swear by the method. Zed Shaw is a wonderful teacher with well commented code. He picks smart variable names that help you see what's happening and really pulls some Mr. Miyagi shit on you. You got to sand a lot of floors but he'll have you doin crane kicks by the end.

 

-m

[PeterJohn 0]

I'm only a two chapters into this book but it has a very easy to follow approach that encourages you to follow along in IDLE. Also, I found out recently that the code academy will soon have a python course. GREAT!

[C.Smith 0]

Not that I would ever discourage anyone from learning anything. I may want to point out that you may not want to bust too hard of a nut getting too deep into Python itself if you are learning the language to do programming for entertainment software (C4D, Maya, Nuke, etc). In my experience programming so far in C4D and Nuke, the time and complexity has been for me 99% the API of the software itself and 1% Python. Point is, learn what you want to learn because Python is as much of a hoot as doing BASIC on a Commodore 64 (yes I'm that old). But you may want to spend more time on the specific API a lot more than having your nose in Python books. I would add to that, I would secondarily spend more time on OOP design books even more so than Python as well. OOP will be far more of a help than the language you use to do OOP itself me thinks. If you are strong with OOP design and the API of your host software itself, it should take you no more than a few days of learning any specific language to implement your ideas. Like the Stanford course on iOS programming. They only spend a few days on Objective C and the rest of the entire course teaching the API for the iOS Frameworks.

[rovino 0]

Not that I would ever discourage anyone from learning anything. I may want to point out that you may not want to bust too hard of a nut getting too deep into Python itself if you are learning the language to do programming for entertainment software (C4D, Maya, Nuke, etc). In my experience programming so far in C4D and Nuke, the time and complexity has been for me 99% the API of the software itself and 1% Python. Point is, learn what you want to learn because Python is as much of a hoot as doing BASIC on a Commodore 64 (yes I'm that old). But you may want to spend more time on the specific API a lot more than having your nose in Python books. I would add to that, I would secondarily spend more time on OOP design books even more so than Python as well. OOP will be far more of a help than the language you use to do OOP itself me thinks. If you are strong with OOP design and the API of your host software itself, it should take you no more than a few days of learning any specific language to implement your ideas. Like the Stanford course on iOS programming. They only spend a few days on Objective C and the rest of the entire course teaching the API for the iOS Frameworks.

Assuming I understood everyting you just said..

OOP (object oriented programming) [yes I looked it up..] Design books? Can you give me an example or maybe a nudge in the right direction?

What you're saying is basically learn the C4D API. in your opinion is the touger of hurdles and then go back and play around with python?

 

Coming from a no programming background. I understand expressions are javascript and have fun with those in AE.. Im getting my feet wet with Xpresso and very much like the node system in that.

 

However after playing around with Python. I get that its suppose to be easy, for a non programmer. I even kinda understand it. However like you said as soon as I went into the API for c4d I got lost.

 

Any who I have some info for those that want to learn python.. check out.

http://www.udacity.com/

the CS101 course is all python, 7 weeks and Free.. I plan on taking it, and learning as much as I can. Hope that helps..