Programming the Raspberry Pi: Getting Started with Python

this book is great if you have a bit of Linux or other command-line experience but haven't really done much programming. it's inexpensive and has just enough information and examples to show you the directions that you can go with a Pi.i would say it's less useful for folks who have some experience with programming and hardware hacking and would like a lead on more in-depth knowledge. i have experience with a couple languages but don't know Python, so i would have preferred a more structured description of Python and its differences (numerous) from C-like languages.one thing that would help the programming chapters is more diagrams to visualize code structures - if, else, while, etc., can be communicated very quickly with some boxes and arrows.i don't think the chapter on GUI programming is very useful. it's a narrow need on this platform, even for kids learning to program on a TV. the ink would have been better spent on more web scraping and API access instruction (e.g. build a newsfeed TTS reader) or more hardware interfacing info. i would have liked to see more overview and examples of interfacing I2C/SPI hardware, since there are so many cool boards out there.

Too much time spent belabouring basics, not enough real, practical programming examples. You don't really get into python until page 25! And this is not a long book at less than 200 pages. I'd pay $2.00 for it, max. You can usually find better, searchable python tutorials/help at stackexchange.I admit, I think python has the stupidest syntax I have ever seen: due to some bizarre allergy to parentheses and brackets on the part of its creators, the interpreter pays attention to white space. In a networked world where people are constantly cutting and pasting code fragments across web sites/forums and operating systems, this means the pasted code will almost certainly require extensive editing to restore the original whitespace. But I guess Microsoft-trained typing monkeys enjoy pressing Backspace, TAB, and space all day.Also, python is so high level that you can't do anything with hardware directly: everything is hidden behind magic libraries written in other languages. Ok, I can appreciate the top-down way of doing things even if I disagree with it. But then there is the python version hell: It would be great if there were only one python version out in the wild, but there are at least 2 and this does cause confusion and headaches.Like a lot of programming books, the topics are a random smattering of non sequitur "Gee, whiz! Look what I can do!" examples. The hardware examples range from the boring clock to the frivolously expensive (price TBA) RobotBoard.I think the real purpose of this book is just to motivate people to buy overpriced parts branded with the RasberryPi logo. One is not making anything new by assembling pre-made, brand-name parts and then driving them through easy-to-use python interface wrapping a driver written in C by some EE.You can do all the python you want, have a relatively big screen & keyboard, install Linux (or Windows!), and have all the all the GPIOs you need (with a cheap USB GPIO module) on a USED NETBOOK for less than $100! The netbook will also come with a much faster processor than the Pi...and be portable...some of them even have 2GB of RAM, double that of the Pi 2! Oh and you can still read all the Raspberry Pi documentation and apply it to the SAME PYTHON installed on your screaming fast netbook with the nice screen. Even the cheapest netbook in the world will not behave as badly as the Raspberry Pi which reboots if you try to draw too much current from the USB ports!Think about it: those Pi add- ons start add-ing up! Although you don't have to get these, you'll probably want these just for programming, no interfacing GPIO stuff:0. (Micro)SD card at least 8GB USD 101. Powered External USB hub USD 10-202. Power supply 5V 2A USD 10-203. extra monitor, keyboard, mouse for when SSH/VNC just don't work! 50-100 USD4. Some kind of Pi enclosure so its harder for the cat to sit on it. Why do cats like to sit on horrible bumpy things? Prices vary widely, check Etsy.And remember at the end of the day you're stuck with a pile o' lab bench junk. The netbook, on the other hand, can be reused for all sorts of things and can come with to the park or starbucks. It even has some resale value. (Think rules of acquisition, here, Trekkies!)Don't get me wrong: I don't hate the Pi!I think Raspberry Pi is great for low power/portable monitoring(weather, 3D printing), gaming(PiGRRL), and other strange stuff(SDR anyone?). Adafruit has some fantastic power supplies and fun projects for it. But as introduction to unix, python, and programming in general, I think trying to get a beginner to set up ssh/VNC to get into an underpowered ARM machine with wimpy USB(stick a wifi dongle in there and watch it reboot! ) with too little RAM is an exercise in frustration and misery. This isn't education, it's marketing propaganda.

Love this book - great beginner's book for the pi and python. My son, who knew no programming whatsoever before he got the pi, has used this book to set up and boot his Raspberry pi, learn python, and get good ideas of programs to write on the pi. This book covers the python programming language from basics to complex commands, and specifically how to use python on the raspberry pi.This little text is short and concise, a great introduction for an interested person. It is comprehensive enough to take a novice to expert status, but not so dense that it overwhelms the novice. When my son learns a new command from this book, he tries it. If he still needs to know more because the text has sparked additional questions, he researches that command more on Python Wiki. Otherwise, this book alone is thorough enough to get started and learn programming.Chapter titles are: Introduction; Getting Started; Python Basics; Strings, Lists, and Dictionaries; Modules, Classes, and Methods; Files and the Internet; Graphical User Interfaces; Games Programming; Interfacing Hardware; Prototyping Project (Clock); The RaspiRobot; What Next.

This is a great book but I found several areas in the book where the code needed troubleshooting (albeit very basic) I did wonder, as another reviewer has suggested, wether this was intentional by the author to encourage you to develop the fault finding mentality that is essential in any kind of coding/programming. I certainly found it added to my experience and enjoyment of the whole process.All in all a great book.

read the reviews that said this was more based towards setting the Pi up and it does cover that part well (remember it IS a starter book) read through and hoping that combined with the starter kit and helping the grandson that i will learn my way around the language, looks nice and straightforward and well set out...again, this is aimed at the beginner and in that respect i feel it is a good buy.

This is one of the best introductory books in Python, no matter if you are using a Raspberry Pi or not. Excellent structure, well thought out and informative examples with increasing complexity all written clearly and rigorously.Highly recommended for any Python apprentice and especially those who will practice it on the Pi platform.

This book explains a lot about Raspberry Pi. Very clear, very precise. If like me you like the style of a well written text book this is an excellent book. The sort of book that can be used for reference.Moreover it gives information on the hardware as well. Wish I had bought the book earlier and before grandson arrived,

The book helps you to set up your raspberry pie and quickly progresses through to the initial stages of how to use Python. I found that the programming moved at a significant pace and very quickly the activities became more and more challenging. I particularly enjoyed the way the small tasks unfolded along with my understanding. I have been very reliant on the internet to help set up my raspberry pi however, with so much out there it can get quite overwhelming. This book is great for someone new to it like myself and I will certainly be using it with my pupils.Design and Technology Teacher - Surrey