My First Python Experience
Just getting started
In my younger years I learned and made a living programming in many different computer languages. I got away from that for a while, but now that I'm reentering the job market I've decided to add Python to the list of computer programming languages that I use.
I got started with the tutorial on python.org yesterday and worked my way through some introductory examples. Then, wandered off on my own a little bit. That's how I learn these things…I use the example code in the tutorial and then adapt it in silly ways.
Below is my first experience. BTW, the print command, as described in code examples in the tutorial, does not use parenthesis, but the Python version 3.13.2 release that the Python interpreter for Windows PowerShell I'm using requires them. You’ll see my thick old brain figure all that out as I go…
Windows PowerShell
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PS C:\Users\WHousley> python
PS C:\Users\WHousley> python
Python 3.13.2 (tags/v3.13.2:4f8bb39, Feb 4 2025, 15:23:48) [MSC v.1942 64 bit (AMD64)] on win32
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> help
Welcome to Python 3.13's help utility! If this is your first time using
Python, you should definitely check out the tutorial at
https://docs.python.org/3.13/tutorial/.
Enter the name of any module, keyword, or topic to get help on writing
Python programs and using Python modules. To get a list of available
modules, keywords, symbols, or topics, enter "modules", "keywords",
"symbols", or "topics".
Each module also comes with a one-line summary of what it does; to list
the modules whose name or summary contain a given string such as "spam",
enter "modules spam".
To quit this help utility and return to the interpreter,
enter "q", "quit" or "exit".
help>
You are now leaving help and returning to the Python interpreter.
If you want to ask for help on a particular object directly from the
interpreter, you can type "help(object)". Executing "help('string')"
has the same effect as typing a particular string at the help> prompt.
>>> >>> the_world_is_flat = 1
File "<python-input-0>", line 1
>>> the_world_is_flat = 1
^^
SyntaxError: invalid syntax
>>> >>> if the_world_is_flat:
File "<python-input-1>", line 1
>>> if the_world_is_flat:
^^
SyntaxError: invalid syntax
>>> ... print "Be careful not to fall off!"
File "<python-input-2>", line 1
... print "Be careful not to fall off!"
^^^^^
SyntaxError: invalid syntax
>>> ...
Ellipsis
>>> Be careful not to fall off!
File "<python-input-4>", line 1
Be careful not to fall off!
^^^^^^^
SyntaxError: invalid syntax
>>> the_world_is_flat = 1
>>> the_world_is_flat = 1
>>> the_world_is_flat = 1
>>> if the_world_is_flat:
... print "Be careful not to fall off!"
...
File "<python-input-8>", line 2
print "Be careful not to fall off!"
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
SyntaxError: Missing parentheses in call to 'print'. Did you mean print(...)?
>>> the_world_is_flat = 1
>>>
>>> the_world_is_flat = 1
>>> if the_world_is_flat:
... print "Be careful not to fall off!"
...
File "<python-input-12>", line 2
print "Be careful not to fall off!"
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
SyntaxError: Missing parentheses in call to 'print'. Did you mean print(...)?
>>> print ("Be careful not to fall off!")
File "<python-input-13>", line 1
print ("Be careful not to fall off!")
IndentationError: unexpected indent
>>> if the_world_is_flat:
... print ("Be careful not to fall off!")
...
Be careful not to fall off!
>>> # this is the first comment
>>> SPAM = 1 # and this is the second comment
>>> # ... and now a third!
>>> STRING = "# This is not a comment."
>>> print (STRING)
# This is not a comment.
>>> Print(SPAM)
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "<python-input-20>", line 1, in <module>
Print(SPAM)
^^^^^
NameError: name 'Print' is not defined. Did you mean: 'print'?
>>> Print SPAM
File "<python-input-21>", line 1
Print SPAM
^^^^
SyntaxError: invalid syntax
>>> Print (SPAM)
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "<python-input-22>", line 1, in <module>
Print (SPAM)
^^^^^
NameError: name 'Print' is not defined. Did you mean: 'print'?
>>> print (SPAM)
1
>>> print (the_world_is_flat)
1
>>> Print ("Hello World")
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "<python-input-25>", line 1, in <module>
Print ("Hello World")
^^^^^
NameError: name 'Print' is not defined. Did you mean: 'print'?
>>> print ("Hello World!")
Hello World!
>>> greeting="Hello World!"
>>> alien_greeting="Take me to your leader!"
>>> angry_alien_greeting="Take me to your leader, DAMNIT!"
>>> print (angry_alien_greeting)
Take me to your leader, DAMNIT!
>>>
BTW, if you’re an artist, I know you can draw better images than these. If you want to try it, go ahead, and maybe I’ll buy it and use it and throw some other business your direction as well. I prefer commissioned artwork to AI drawings any day.