Python - A Powerful Friend

"Remarkable power with very clear syntax"" - That is Python if explained in simple words.

Are you bored of writing lots of lines and another large number of symbols used in C++  and C? Go to Python. Everything is fine there.

Python is an interpreted, general-purpose high-level programming language whose design philosophy emphasizes code readability. Its standard library is large and comprehensive.

Guido Van Rossum is Python's principal author, and his continuing central role in deciding the direction of Python is reflected in the title given to him by the Python community, Benevolent Dictator for Life (BDFL).

The Python implementation is under an open source license that makes it freely usable and distributable, even for commercial use. The Python license is administered by the Python Software Foundation.

Some of its key distinguishing features include:

• very clear, readable syntax
• strong introspection capabilities
• intuitive object orientation
• natural expression of procedural code
• full modularity, supporting hierarchical packages
• exception-based error handling
• very high level dynamic data types
• extensive standard libraries and third party modules for virtually every task
• extensions and modules easily written in C, C++
• embeddable within applications as a scripting interface

Large organizations that make use of Python include Youtube, BitTorrent, Google, Yahoo!, CERN, NASA and ITA. Most of the Sugar software for the One Laptop per Child XO, now developed at Sugar Labs, is written in Python.

Presently, Python 3.2 has been released. But Linux distributions like Fedora, Ubuntu still uses Python 2.7.
(NB:- In this tutorial we will be using Python 2.7)

References:
Official Website:    http://www.python.org/
Documentation for Python 2.7:    http://docs.python.org/tutorial/

Recommended Books:

" A Byte of Python" by Swaroop C. H.
       Simplest tutorial on Python. A good location to start, if you are new to Python. Read the book here, http://www.ibiblio.org/swaroopch/byteofpython/read/

" Dive into Python" by Mark Pilgrim.
        Next step after "A byte of Python". Read the book here, http://www.diveintopython.net/toc/index.html

" Learning Python" by Mark Lutz.
       A really big book with more than 1000 pages. Have a look at the book here: "Learning Python"

Or even better, just Google "Python Tutorials". You will get 1000s of books. But I think above three will be more than enough.

Support:

For instant help, use IRC channel : #python
Ask your doubts there. You will get answers in seconds.
( For those who haven't use IRC before:      visit http://webchat.freenode.net/,     give a nickname you like, enter #python in channel field, type the captcha in captcha field, skip all other fields, then click on connect. You will be led to a chat room where you can ask your doubts. Someone will reply)