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
• Programmers are people who design,
build, maintain, debug, and upgrade
computer software using different
programming languages.
• iPhone applications are a market

• iPhone applications have over 3 billion

downloads
 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
 What is a programmer's job?
• 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

- Create applications for End users to order grab food, buy online,
pay online, self-driving cars
 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? A Program? Software?

• A sequence of stored instructions

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

• Algorithm: a way to find out a solution

• Program: A sequence of steps to find out the solution of a problem. A

program is a implementation of an algorithm

• Computer software : A set of related programs

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
 Main Memory

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.
Python is a powerful, high-level, object-oriented programming language, created by Guido
van Rossum. It's easy to learn and is emerging as one of the best introductory programming
languages for first-timers. Python is completely dynamically typed and uses automatic
memory allocation. Python has powerful high-level data structures and a simple yet
effective approach to object-oriented programming.

Simple programming language, easy to learn: Python has a very simple, clear syntax. It is
much easier to read and write when compared to other programming languages like C++,
Java, C#. Python makes programming fun, allowing you to focus on solutions, not syntax.
Python application areas in practice
 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
 Interactive
You type directly to Python one line at a time and it responds

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()
 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.
Python Scripts
 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
 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