#Welcome!
Programming is a language, and needs to be practiced. To be successful in this course, we recommend:
- That you do the in-class exercises, and submit them via GitHub (we'll cover this in a bit).
- That you at least try the homeworks.
- That you read, and try to understand the exercise and homework solutions.
- That you think about how to apply the in-class material to your own data. Perhaps even try to apply it and ask us questions.
We're all adults, and you know your learning style better than we do.
- We will give plenty of time for hands-on exploration.
- Ask us questions when you don't understand.
- We have provided a list of additional resources below. You won't hurt our feelings if you look at them.
- Frustration and walking into walls are part of learning. Take mental health breaks often, and don't be discouraged by needing Google or documentation.
#Resources
Software Carpentry: An organization under the Mozilla umbrella targeted at getting novices up and running with computing. Lessons on this site are very helpful.
Python the Hard Way: A book by Zed Shaw about programming. Language gets a bit course, but he does have a nice way of explaining many concepts.
Rosalind: Biology-related informatics challenges to help you learn.
Code Academy: Interactive, online Python exercises.
Python for Biologists: Blog and books of helpful tips and practices. Also some code snippets and exercises.
Practical Computing For Biologists: A physical book, not really about Python, but about computing in general.