introduction about this book foolish assumptions icons used in this book beyond the book where to go from here part igetting started with python talking to your computer understanding why you want to talk to your computer knowing that an application is form of communication thinking about procedures you use daily writing procedures down seeing applications as being like any other procedure understanding that computers take things literally defining what an application is understanding that computers use special language helping humans speak to the computer understanding why python is so cool unearthing the reasons for using python deciding how you can personally benefit from python discovering which organizations use python finding useful python applications comparing python to other languages getting your own copy of python downloading the version you need installing python working with windows working with the mac working with linux accessing python on your machine using windows using the mac using linux testing your installation