[SlugLUG] Perl book [was: Yikes!!!]

[Ignacio Solis]

Thomas Leavitt wrote:
> The combination of "Oh, Pascal!" and Turbo Pascal (with the integrated
> IDE, etc.) really launched my "career" as a programmer... I really liked
> the systematic, step by step by step process, with the code samples, the
> suggested modifications, the actual practical hands on examples I was
> able to get functioning on the lab computers, etc. and I'd like to
> recapture that experience.

I started with Pascal too... if I don't count logo, basic and bat files.
I actually owned a copy of turbo pascal, which was strange since 
everybody just copied it around or use the computers on campus.

> Hopefully in a high level programming language / framework (like Ruby on
> Rails)... but I really don't care much *what* language, as long as it is
> relatively modern and gives me the ability to create code that will
> execute under Linux or even Windows...

I'm biased on Python. I think it's a great language and it's very 
didactic. It teaches good programming practices. (Not to diss Ruby 
directly, I admit I haven't really worked with it other than looked at 
some simple code, which looks ok).

There are plenty of python tutorials and books online.  It works on any 
system (just like most modern languages), and has hooks for all the 
libraries (just like most other languages).

I don't know if I would recommend the Learning python book. The only 
python book I own is the Python essential reference, and I don't think 
that's a good book to learn on. (The book is actually redundant since 
all the info can be found online).

A book I highly recommend, though it might have nothing to do with what 
you want is "Beginning Linux Programming".  Though maybe not for you, 
for a novice programmer entering Linux/Unix it's a great start. It 
covers compiling c programs, shell programming, sockets, curses, 
debugging, IPCs, some perl and gnome and basic CGI.  It's basically an 
overview so new linux programmers know the tools available to them.

Nacho