How much Python do you need to know?

[Campbell Ritchie]

My Python is very basic, well even less than that  How much Python do your readers need to know?

[Tim Holloway]

Well, Campbell, since the main topic of the book is "Classic Computer Science Problems", I'd say that you wouldn't need to know the really esoteric Python stuff. After all, Knuth, Djikstra, et. al. managed to to just fine with languages they made up on the spot.

So I'd imagine the usual stuff: expressions and assignments, conditionals, methods and modules, control and looping, basic string manipulation, and since this is Python, tuples, lists, and dictionaries. Anything more complex, I'd look to see explained in the book.

Oh, you weren't just posting to bump the odds of winning a copy were you?

[Campbell Ritchie]

Tim Holloway wrote:. . . you weren't just posting to bump the odds of winning a copy were you?

No more than you were

[Campbell Ritchie]

I would have thought I have enough programming experience to translate the Python into another language. Forth possibly, but definitely not LISP

[David Kopec]

The book requires an intermediate-advanced knowledge of Python. It's not targeted at beginners. In college terms—we would assume you have at least two semesters of programming experience. In non-college terms we would expect you have mastered the basics of programming in Python, and now want to dive into some CS topics with that knowledge.