Cute python: Update your list of Python readings, part 3rd

Python books have begun to steadily occupy a larger share of bookstore bookshelf space. Since I began to publish these reviews, the number of books on Python that can now be called "scrap" may already be four times times the size of the original. This does not include many excellent electronic documents (including some unedited books) on the Web that are published on Python. Several of the Python books discussed in this article have been placed on my bookshelf in the last few months.

Web-related books

Two books on Python and the Web

I recently saw two books: Holden and Beazley's Python Web programming and Thiruvathukal, Christopher, and Shafaee's web programming in Python, which The range of materials involved is almost the same. Both of these books echo well, reflecting the excellent reputation of their respective publishers, New Riders and Prentice Hall. It is difficult to recommend which of these two books is better than the other, so let me point out some differences.

The Python Web programming is a pretty good introduction to XML programming in Python language. It's not as exhaustive as Python & XML (which will be discussed below), but it's a real introductory textbook. In contrast, WEB programming in Python omits XML, but provides an introduction to Linux, Apache, and MySQL (as its full title points out). Both books use about 100 pages to explain Python itself, but the Python Web programming, while introducing Python, spends more of its time on the Universal networking library that is provided with Python. Both books end with specific sample applications based on the different topics involved, but if your goal is to use these samples as a template for your own development project, then WEB programming in Python may be a better choice-while the Python web Programming to this more is to give people a little reference encyclopedia/academic feeling.

Both books contain indexes, but Python Web programming adds a glossary (useful in the area of the Internet acronym) to the Index and an appendix to the changes in the Python version. It's not wrong to choose any book (assuming you're looking for books on Python and the web), but Web programming in Python feels more useful to web developers. Assuming you really want to use Linux, Apache, and MySQL with Python, Web programming in Python is enough to meet your requirements without the need for two or three of other books. Of course, if you insist that you use Windows for your site, or worse yet, use Iis/mssql, there is little in the Web programming in Python. Python Web Programming (most of the content) always insists on discussing cross-platform-related content.

Python & XML

The downside of Jones and Drake's Python & XML is that if you want to use XML in Python, you must buy the book. I've commented on McGrath's XML processing with Python, which involves a similar range of content. But in all respects, I prefer Jones and Drake's books. The text in Python & XML is clear, detailed, and often precise-and, of course, compared to the XML standard document it interprets. There are a few errors that describe the nature of XML complexity-such as four on page 27th, rather than five intrinsic entities (missing &)-but overall, this is the best book I've ever encountered to understand XML.

Whether or not the title points out, Python & XML is really an XML book, not a python book. That is, it does not include an explanation of the Python language as the title says-it assumes that the reader knows Python (but not the XML library). The XML library discussed basically has four parts: built-in support in Python 2.0+, (XML-SIG) Pyxml;fourthought Inc. 4Suite and bindings for MSXML (on Windows). Some other libraries are briefly described in the appendix. Overall, the examples in this book are compatible with Python's standard library XML support.

Books to learn the language

Python Programming Patterns

Thomas W. Christopher's Python programming patterns is a rare and wonderful book in the Python repository. It is evident that the book is intended as the famous design patterns:elements of reusable object-oriented Software (by the "Group of Four (Gang of Four (GoF))"-gamma, Helm, Johns On and vlissides-writing) reference books. But Python programming patterns actually does not restate the content of the design patterns with the python example, but rather tries to become the first book to introduce Python itself while trying to do it. Several high-profile negative comments about Christopher's book have appeared on the Comp.lang.python. Although I admit there are some flaws in the book, I think some of the comments have misunderstood the intent of the book.

I think Python programming patterns is not like a book about Python, it's like a book about programming. Each chapter introduces some of the new Python constructs, while using those constructs to explain several conventional computer science concepts. Similarly, the Christopher book is not intended for readers who try to understand Python, because it is a book that introduces the intermediate course of computer science. Even advanced programmers will find some common concepts interesting when they are reading. That is, Python programming patterns spent too much time explaining the basic Python constructs in order to best achieve their writing goals. A reader who has studied deeply enough to understand "mode" can learn the Python grammar faster than the book, while the reader who has just begun to program may be completely lost in the abstract concept. In short, the book can be a more focused discussion of a few things.