Project Computer - What I Recommend

The following is for rolling up your sleeves and getting your hands dirty. It is the best way to learn.

In my Opinion

You will need a real computer to learn computer programming. Tablets, smart phones, web based classes are not sufficient.

I believe the following is the minimum required.

What You Will Need

Note: The hardware (computer) is a testbed. You want to be able to delete everything and start over.

  1. computer (I use refurbished computers from Amazon)
  2. monitor, keyboard, and mouse
  3. monitor-computer cable
  4. network cable or WIFI
  5. printer/scanner (optional) (I use an inexpensive network connected HP)

Linux OS preferred (Linux it is free - I use Linux Mint)

Internet connection (preferably a Local Area Network (LAN) connected to the internet)

Note: Python is part of Linux distributions. There is no need to install it.

Where to Get Hardware?

Ask around, someone may have hardware gathering dust in a closet. Yard sales. Purchase or build.

Be sure to verify Linux supports the computer.

Raspberry Pi

The Raspberry Pi is an inexpensive Single Board Computer (SBC). (Python is part of the OS.)

A Raspberry Pi has the extra advantage of having 26 GPIO pins. These allow you to send and receive on/off signals to and from electronic components such as LEDs, motors, and buttons.

Note: GPIO is an acronym for General Purpose Input/Output.

Build a $500 Computer

These videos are from ExplaningComputers.com and demonstrates building a $500 computer.

Choosing PC Build Components (YouTube)
Building a $500 PC (YouTube)
Explaining PC Front Panel Connectors (YouTube)
Explaining Motherboard Chipsets (YouTube)
Explaining PC Power Supplies (YouTube)
Explaining SSDs: The Price/Performance Trade-off (YouTube)

Hardware Guides (ExplainingComputers.com)

PC Build & Upgrade Videos (ExplainingComputers.com)

Run Linux in a VM

Other?

Integrated Development Environment (IDE)

IDEs are optional but can be useful.

There are several IDEs available for download from the web. However, the Integrated Development and Learning Environment (IDLE) is part of every Python installation.

For more information on IDLE click HERE .

For a tutorial click Getting Started With Python IDLE .

Linux Tutorials

Tutorials are mostly free and available on YouTube and the web.