Press Release
March 6, 2003
It Could Be the Only Thing Python Programmers Have Lacked: O'Reilly Releases "Python in a Nutshell"
Sebastopol, CA--Ask any Python aficionado and you'll be told that
Python programmers have it all: an elegant language that offers
object-oriented programming support, a readable, maintainable syntax,
integration with C components, and an enormous collection of precoded
standard library and extension modules. Moreover, Python is easy to
learn but powerful enough to take on the most ambitious programming
challenges. But one thing that Python programmers have lacked is a
concise and clear reference resource, with the appropriate measure of
guidance in how best to use Python's great power. Python in a
Nutshell by Alex Martelli (O'Reilly, US $34.95) fills this need.
In the tradition of O'Reilly's "In a Nutshell" series, this book offers
Python programmers one place to look when they need help remembering or
deciphering the syntax of this open source language and its many
modules. This comprehensive reference guide makes it easy to look up
all the most frequently needed information--not just about the Python
language itself, but also the most frequently used parts of the
standard library and the most important third-party extensions.
"The 'In a Nutshell' books are unique by design: they offer
one-stop-shopping and fast look-up of all the most frequently needed
information about one technology. 'Python in a Nutshell' offers exactly
this take about Python," notes Martelli. "Python is an easy, simple
language, and the Nutshell format fits it wonderfully, as everything
about the language can be fit in its concise and complete form,
including some guidance on how best to use it. Python's library is huge
and enormously rich, and here the Nutshell format and style is
excellent in presenting the practical highlights--that 30% of the
modules and functions that cover well over 90% of practical
needs--including a very few crucial third-party extensions."
"Python in a Nutshell" focuses on Python 2.2 (and all its point
releases), which is currently the most stable and widespread Python
release. This book includes:
- A fast-paced tutorial on the syntax of the Python language itself
- An explanation of object-oriented programming in Python, covering both
the classic and new-style object models
- Coverage of other core topics, including exceptions, modules, strings,
and regular expressions
- A quick reference for Python's built-in types and functions, as well
as the key modules in the Python standard library, including sys, os,
time, thread, math, and socket, among many others
- Reference material on important third-party extensions, such as
Numeric and Tkinter
- Information about extending Python and embedding it into other
applications
"Python in a Nutshell" provides a solid, no-nonsense quick reference to
information that programmers rely on the most. This latest addition to
the best-selling "In a Nutshell" series will immediately earn its place
in any Python programmer's library.
Additional Resources:
Python in a Nutshell
Alex Martelli
ISBN 0-596-00188-6, 636 pages, $34.95 (US), $54.95 (CAN), 24.95 (UK)
order@oreilly.com
1-800-998-9938; 1-707-827-7000
About O'Reilly
O'Reilly Media spreads the knowledge of innovators through its books, online services, magazines, and conferences. Since 1978, O'Reilly Media has been a chronicler and catalyst of cutting-edge development, homing in on the technology trends that really matter and spurring their adoption by amplifying "faint signals" from the alpha geeks who are creating the future. An active participant in the technology community, the company has a long history of advocacy, meme-making, and evangelism.
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