Now, hopefully, you've learnt what algorithms are, how to represent them, and a little about the Python programming environment, it's time to learn a little more about Python. There are plenty of free courses, resources and books out there, so there are no excuses. There is also plenty of opportunity to program in the courses on The Computing Café but you will still need to do a lot of work on your own.

Install Python 3

Standard Python

Grab Python from the Python website (use the latest version for increased compatibility)

When you are installing Python, make sure that you opt to add Python to the 'path'. After Python has installed, make sure it works by starting up IDLE (the built in development environment) from the start menu - you might not know what to do yet, all will be revealed later! To install the rest of the useful packages, you need to use a 'command window' (probably as an Administrator) which you can start by typing 'cmd' in the 'Search programs and files' box on the Windows start menu. Type 'cd c:\' and press the ENTER key on your keyboard before you perform the next steps.


First, install Numpy by typing

pip install numpy

at the command prompt and pressing ENTER. Python should finish with

Successfully installed numpy-x.x.x

. Test your Numpy installation in IDLE ...

>>> import numpy
>>> numpy.version.version

Next, install SciPy by typing

pip install scipy

at the command prompt and pressing ENTER. Python should finish with

Successfully installed scipy-x.x.x

. Test your SciPy installation in IDLE ...

>>> import scipy
>>> scipy.version.version

It seems that you have to download the correct PyQT4 bindings and can't install them directly using 'pip'.

Download the PyQT4 binding for your version of Python, move the 'whl' file onto the C: drive and install it by typing

pip install pyqt_filename

at the command prompt and pressing ENTER. Python should finish with

Successfully installed PyQT4-x.x.x

. Unfortunately, this version of PyQT does not seem to install start menu shortcuts but you can find shortcuts to the two application you need in C:\Program Files\Python3X\Lib\site-packages\PyQt4 - make shortcuts to 'assistant.exe' and 'designer.exe' and pop them in the Python start menu folder. Test your PyQt4 installation in IDLE ...

>>> from PyQt4.QtCore import QT_VERSION_STR
>>> QT_VERSION_STR

Install Matplotlib by typing

pip install matplotlib

at the command prompt and pressing the ENTER key. Python should finish with

Successfully installed matplotlib-x.x.x

amongst other dependencies. Test your Matplotlib installation in IDLE ...

>>> import matplotlib
>>> matplotlib.__version__ # There are four underscores!

Install PyGame by typing

pip install pygame

at the command prompt and pressing the ENTER key. Python should finish with

Successfully installed pygame-x.x.x

. Test your PyGame installation in IDLE ...

>>> import pygame
>>> pygame.version.ver

Finally, even though Python comes with it's own 'development environment' called 'IDLE', it's well worth installing Thonny. From the command prompt, type

pip install thonnyapp

and press the ENTER key. Python will download and install Thonny and a separate shortcut to the editor, hopefully responding with

Successfully installed thonnyapp-x.x.x

. If you don't get a shortcut to start Thonny on the Windows start menu, you can find the executable in the ...

[Python install directory] > Scripts > Thonny.exe

You should be able to successfully rerun the tests you performed earlier (or checkout all the installed packages from 'Tools > Manage Packages').

WinPython

Alternatively (and preferentially), you could install WinPython, a completely PORTABLE Python installation which comes in a full version with literally hundreds of libraries already installed or a 'zero' version into which you can install your own. I'm going to go for the zero version and install all the required libraries myself so I know what's there.


Visit the WinPython homepage and click the 'Download' button next to the version of WinPython you wish to use (choose the 32 bit version for increased compatibility). This will take you to the Sourceforge page for WinPython - make sure you download the 32 bit 'Zero' version which will download as an 'exe' installer. Save this to your desktop or userspace.


Double click the installer, choose 'Run' and click through the dialogues accepting the default options. You should be left with a folder in the same location as the installer with the name WinPython-32bit-?.?.?.?Zero where the '?' will be different depending on which version you have downloaded. I have renamed the folder to 'WinPython' but you can leave it like this if you want. You can now safely delete the installer.


WinPython Zero ships with shortcuts for all the tools but we can safely delete the ones we don't want. We've got enough programming environments and Spyder uses PyQT5 which doesn't work well with some of the GUI development tools we use. Open up the WinPython folder and delete ...


You should be left with ...



Open up the 'WinPython Command Prompt' and type

pip install numpy

and pressing the ENTER key. Wait for the installation to complete and then test your numpy installation in IDLEX by typing ...

>>> import numpy
>>> numpy.version.version

Back in the 'WinPython Command Prompt', type

pip install scipy

and press the ENTER key. Wait for the installation to complete the then test the installation by typing the following in IDLEX ...

>>> import scipy
>>> scipy.version.version

Download the PyQT4 binding for your version of Python, move the 'whl' file onto the 'scripts' directory in the WinPython folder and install it by typing

pip install pyqt_filename

at the 'WinPython Command Prompt' and pressing the ENTER key. Wait for the installation to complete and then test your PyQT4 installation in IDLEX ...

>>> from PyQt4.QtCore import QT_VERSION_STR
>>> QT_VERSION_STR

Type

pip install matplotlib

in the 'WinPython Command Prompt' window to install Matplotlib and its dependencies. Wait for the installation to complete and then test your Matplotlib installation in IDLEX ...

>>> import matplotlib
>>> matplotlib.__version__ # There are four underscores!

Type

pip install pygame

in the 'WinPython Command Prompt' window to install Pygame. Wait for the installation to complete and then test your Pygame installation in IDLEX ...

>>> import pygame
>>> pygame.version.ver

Type

pip install jupyter

in the 'WinPython Command Prompt' window to install Jupyter Notebook - a beautiful interactive Python programming environment. Test your Jupyter Notebook installation by double clicking the 'Jupyter Notebook' icon in the root distribution folder. You should see a command windows open up and then a browser window with the actual notebook.



Type

pip install jupyterlab

in the 'WinPython Command Prompt' window to install Jupyter Lab software - a more powerful (but probably less useful to us) scientific Python programming environment. Test your Jupyter Lab installation by double clicking the 'Jupyter Lab' icon in the root distribution folder. You should see a command windows open up and then a browser window with the actual lab.



There are plenty of other useful libraries that you can install into either a standard Python Installation or into a portable WinPython installation including ...


... and I'll add to the list as I find more!

Free books

Grab yourself some free 'books' from the World Wide Web...

Online Courses

Enrol on an online course to help you learn

YouTube

The list is endless, but here are a few of the best ...

PythonByteSize - over one hundred free video tutorials on Python 3 from basics to some really advanced stuff suitable for A Level and beyond. Lots of the videos are concerned with programming Graphical User Interfaces using the Python Tkinter library.


Socratica - 30 or so videos which give you a quick (and humorous) introduction to Python


CS Dojo - Introduction to Python programming for absolute beginners. CK uses Jupyter Notebook to teach this online course; look back to the installation instructions for WinPython which might be a little easier than installing through the Anaconda Package Manager ...


Learn to Code GCSE - Brilliant series outlining all the basic and more advanced techniques used to learn to program in Python for GCSE level and beyond. There are currently four playlists to choose from...