Why Program?

Chapter 1

Python for Everybody

www.py4e.com
Computers Want to be Helpful...
What
• Computers are built for one purpose - to Next?
do things for us

• But we need to speak their language to

describe what we want done

• Users have it easy - someone already put What What What

many different programs (instructions) into Next? Next? Next?
the computer and users just pick the ones
they want to use What What What
Next? Next? Next?
 Programmers Anticipate
Needs
• iPhone applications are a market

• iPhone applications have over 3 billion

downloads

• Programmers have left their jobs to be

full-time iPhone developers Pick Pick Pick
Me! Me! Me!
• Programmers know the ways of the
program Pick Pick Pay
Me! Me! Me!
 Users vs. Programmers
• Users see computers as a set of tools - word processor, spreadsheet, map,
to-do list, etc.

• Programmers learn the computer “ways” and the computer language

• Programmers have some tools that allow them to build new tools

• Programmers sometimes write tools for lots of users and sometimes

programmers write little “helpers” for themselves to automate a task
 Why be a Programmer?
• To get some task done - we are the user and programmer

- Clean up survey data

• To produce something for others to use - a programming job

- Fix a performance problem in the Sakai software

- Add a guestbook to a web site

 User

Computer
Programmer
Hardware + Software

Data Information .... Networks

From a software creator’s point of view, we build the software. The end
users (stakeholders/actors) are our masters - who we want to please -
often they pay us money when they are pleased. But the data,
information, and networks are our problem to solve on their behalf.
The hardware and software are our friends and allies in this quest.
 What is Code? Software? A Program?

• A sequence of stored instructions

- It is a little piece of our intelligence in the computer

- We figure something out and then we encode it and then give it to

someone else to save them the time and energy of figuring it out

• A piece of creative art - particularly when we do a good job on user

experience
 Programs for Python...

the clown ran after the car and the car ran into the tent and
the tent fell down on the clown and the car

Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/allan_harris/4908070612/ Attribution-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-ND 2.0)

 Programs for Python...

Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/allan_harris/4908070612/ Attribution-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-ND 2.0)

name = input('Enter file:')
handle = open(name)
python words.py
counts = dict()
for line in handle: Enter file: words.txt
words = line.split() to 16
for word in words:
counts[word] = counts.get(word,0) + 1

bigcount = None
bigword = None
for word,count in counts.items(): python words.py
if bigcount is None or count > bigcount: Enter file: clown.txt
bigword = word the 7
bigcount = count

print(bigword, bigcount)
Hardware Architecture
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3d/RaspberryPi.jpg
 Generic
Software What
Next? Computer
Input Central
and Output Processing
Devices Unit
Secondary
Memory

Main
Memory
 Definitions
• Central Processing Unit: Runs the Program - The CPU is What
always wondering “what to do next”. Not the brains Next?
exactly - very dumb but very very fast

• Input Devices: Keyboard, Mouse, Touch Screen

• Output Devices: Screen, Speakers, Printer, DVD Burner

• Main Memory: Fast small temporary storage - lost on reboot - aka RAM

• Secondary Memory: Slower large permanent storage - lasts until deleted - disk
drive / memory stick
 Generic
Software What
Next? Computer
Input Central
and Output Processing
Devices Unit
Secondary
if x< 3: print Memory

Main
Memory
 Generic
Software What
Next? Computer
Input Central
and Output Processing
Devices Unit
01001001 Secondary
00111001 Memory

Main
Memory
Machine
Language
 Totally Hot CPU

What
Next?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y39D4529FM4
 Hard Disk in Action

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eMWG3fwiEU
Python as a Language
 Python is the language of the Python
Interpreter and those who can converse with
it. An individual who can speak Python is
known as a Pythonista. It is a very uncommon
skill, and may be hereditary. Nearly all known
Pythonistas use software initially developed
by Guido van Rossum.
 Early Learner: Syntax Errors
• We need to learn the Python language so we can communicate our instructions to
Python. In the beginning we will make lots of mistakes and speak gibberish like
small children.

• When you make a mistake, the computer does not think you are “cute”. It says
“syntax error” - given that it knows the language and you are just learning it. It
seems like Python is cruel and unfeeling.

• You must remember that you are intelligent and can learn. The computer is
simple and very fast, but cannot learn. So it is easier for you to learn Python than
for the computer to learn English...
Talking to Python
csev$ python3
Python 3.5.1 (v3.5.1:37a07cee5969, Dec 5 2015, 21:12:44)
[GCC 4.2.1 (Apple Inc. build 5666) (dot 3)] on darwinType
"help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>>
What
next?
csev$ python3
Python 3.5.1 (v3.5.1:37a07cee5969, Dec 5 2015, 21:12:44)
[GCC 4.2.1 (Apple Inc. build 5666) (dot 3)] on darwinType
"help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> x = 1
>>> print(x)
1
>>> x = x + 1 This is a good test to make sure that you have
>>> print(x) Python correctly installed. Note that quit() also
2 works to end the interactive session.
>>> exit()
What Do We Say?
 Elements of Python
• Vocabulary / Words - Variables and Reserved words (Chapter 2)
• Sentence structure - valid syntax patterns (Chapters 3-5)
• Story structure - constructing a program for a purpose
 Reserved Words
You cannot use reserved words as variable names / identifiers

False await else import pass

None break except in raise
True class finally is return
and continue for lambda try
as def from nonlocal while
assert del global not with
async elif if or yield
 Sentences or Lines

x = 2 Assignment statement
x = x + 2 Assignment with expression
print(x) Print statement

Variable Operator Constant Function

Programming Paragraphs
 Python Scripts
• Interactive Python is good for experiments and programs of 3-4 lines
long.

• Most programs are much longer, so we type them into a file and tell
Python to run the commands in the file.

• In a sense, we are “giving Python a script”.

• As a convention, we add “.py” as the suffix on the end of these files to

indicate they contain Python.
 Interactive versus Script
• Interactive
- You type directly to Python one line at a time and it responds

• Script
- You enter a sequence of statements (lines) into a file using a text
editor and tell Python to execute the statements in the file
Program Steps or Program Flow
• Like a recipe or installation instructions, a program is a sequence of
steps to be done in order.

• Some steps are conditional - they may be skipped.

• Sometimes a step or group of steps is to be repeated.
• Sometimes we store a set of steps to be used over and over as
needed several places throughout the program (Chapter 4).
 Sequential Steps
x=2 Program:
Output:
print(x) x = 2
print(x) 2
x=x+2 x = x + 2 4
print(x)
print(x)

When a program is running, it flows from one step to the next. As

programmers, we set up “paths” for the program to follow.
 x=5
Conditional Steps
Yes
x < 10 ?

print('Smaller') Program:
No Output:
x = 5
Yes if x < 10: Smaller
x > 20 ? print('Smaller') Finis
if x > 20:
print('Bigger') print('Bigger')
No
print('Finis')

print('Finis')
 n=5 Repeated Steps
No Yes Output:
n>0? Program:
5
print(n) n = 5 4
while n > 0 :
3
print(n)
n = n -1 n = n – 1 2
print('Blastoff!') 1
Blastoff!
Loops (repeated steps) have iteration variables that
print('Blastoff')
change each time through a loop.
name = input('Enter file:') Sequential
handle = open(name, 'r')
Repeated
counts = dict()
for line in handle: Conditional
words = line.split()
for word in words:
counts[word] = counts.get(word,0) + 1

bigcount = None
bigword = None
for word,count in counts.items():
if bigcount is None or count > bigcount:
bigword = word
bigcount = count

print(bigword, bigcount)
name = input('Enter file:') A short Python “Story”
handle = open(name, 'r') about how to count
words in a file
counts = dict()
for line in handle:
words = line.split() A word used to read
for word in words: data from a user
counts[word] = counts.get(word,0) + 1

bigcount = None A sentence about

bigword = None updating one of the
for word,count in counts.items(): many counts
if bigcount is None or count > bigcount:
bigword = word
bigcount = count
A paragraph about how
to find the largest item
print(bigword, bigcount) in a list
 Summary
• This is a quick overview of Chapter 1
• We will revisit these concepts throughout the course
• Focus on the big picture
 Acknowledgements / Contributions
These slides are Copyright 2010- Charles R. Severance
Continue…
(www.dr-chuck.com) of the University of Michigan School of
Information and made available under a Creative Commons
Attribution 4.0 License. Please maintain this last slide in all
copies of the document to comply with the attribution
requirements of the license. If you make a change, feel free to
add your name and organization to the list of contributors on this
page as you republish the materials.

Initial Development: Charles Severance, University of Michigan

School of Information

… Insert new Contributors and Translators here